The law doesn’t work on its own.
When lawmakers announce legislation will prevent or protect something, what they really mean is they’re enhancing penalties and hoping threat of punishment curbs unwanted conduct. Almost always these concepts develop from sincere concern, yet the result is effective tools for prosecutors after crimes are committed. Their utility as preventive measures is linked to the government’s ability to advertise.
A variation on that theme comes as we continue rounding out the year with quick hits on laws taking effect Jan. 1. Consider House Bill 2719, which sponsor state Rep. Dagmar “Dee” Avelar, D-Bolingrbook, promoted as a “measure to reduce medical debt.”
The Senate approved the plan 38-16 on May 11; the House voted 77-39 a week later. Among other reforms, the law requires hospitals, before initiating collections proceedings, to screen any uninsured patients to assess eligibility for in-house financial assistance or public health insurance programs.
“Many uninsured Illinoisans are eligible for some type of financial assistance, but accessing that assistance can be complicated,” Avelar said after final House approval, noting that many Illinoisans avoid or delay medical treatment for fear of debt. “Proactively screening individuals for financial assistance options will allow people to access the health care they need without drowning in medical debt that could take decades to pay off.”
Avelar isn’t off target. In March she promoted the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights’ report “Crisis in the Shadows: Medical Debt in Illinois” (tinyurl.com/ILmedicaldebt). But that document and the legislation – despite advancing sound arguments about screening being beneficial for patients and hospitals – land in a similar position of enhanced penalty proposals that need good PR campaigns.
People afraid medical treatment will cost too much are unlikely to darken hospital doors. Doctors and financial offices have to mount outreach campaigns to deliver meaningful impact. Avelar’s bill is a bridge from solution to problem, but not a holistic cure.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Lawmakers were busy approving new programs allowing decals for license plates under a variety of subject areas: autism awareness (House Bill 42); U.S. submarine veterans (HB 1581); and Lyme disease research (HB 2584). Meanwhile, HB 3436 allows the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to issue a Thank a Line Worker Decal for universal special plates. It also Creates the Thank a Line Worker Scholarship Fund to support scholarships for students studying electrical distribution at a state college or university.
HB 1865 also involves license plates, in that it lets higher education institutions apply for permanent registration and get plates specifically for campus police, starting in 2025, while HB 3578 lets active or retired members of the General Assembly or Congress with a disability obtain plaits with the International Symbol of Access.
• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Media. Follow him on Twitter @sth749. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.
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December 26, 2023 at 04:52AM
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