SPRINGFIELD -- The following statement can be attributed to A.J. Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA), in response to Governor JB Pritzker’s signature of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
“On behalf of the hospital community, the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) commends Governor JB Pritzker for his leadership and dedication to crafting a budget that will strengthen the state’s healthcare delivery system and protect access to healthcare across Illinois.
“IHA and hospitals across the state are very pleased that the Fiscal Year 2024 budget includes a General Revenue Fund (GRF) across-the-board increase to hospital Medicaid base rates, which will help address the dire financial challenges and workforce pressures exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first hospital Medicaid rate increase funded by GRF in 28 years.
“In addition, we want to offer our deepest gratitude to Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch, and members of the Illinois General Assembly for prioritizing healthcare services during their budget deliberations and advancing this much-needed, long-term financial assistance for hospitals.
“The FY 2024 budget also includes additional state funding for Safety Net Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals to protect equitable, accessible healthcare services in some of Illinois’ most vulnerable communities.
“With the state’s critical financial contribution, Illinois hospitals can remain strong, viable and committed to providing safe, quality healthcare for all.”
About IHA
The Illinois Health and Hospital Association, with offices in Naperville, Springfield, Washington, D.C., and Chicago advocates for Illinois’ more than 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems as they serve their patients and communities. IHA members provide a broad range of services—not just within their walls, but across the continuum of healthcare and in their communities. Reflecting the diversity of the state, IHA members consist of nonprofit, investor-owned and public hospitals in the following categories: community, safety net, rural, critical access, specialty and teaching hospitals, including academic medical centers. For more information, see www.team-iha.org. Like IHA on Facebook. Follow IHA on Twitter.