Illinois All Kids Program Highlights Universal Insurance Initiative

Case study of illinois all kids program highlights experiences of universal insurance initiative.

• "A Race to the Top: Illinois' All Kids Initiative," Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured: The case study, prepared by Urban Institute researchers Teresa Coughlin and Mindy Cohen, describes key features of the Illinois All Kidsprogram, the first universal coverage program for children in the U.S.The case study examines state decisions on the program's design andhighlights implementation of the program, as well as early experiencesand keys to the success of the initiative (Kaiser Family Foundationrelease, 8/10).
• "America's Economy: Headed for Crisis," Brookings Institution:The position paper urges 2008 presidential candidates to preparethemselves and voters to make "real choices" on budget and entitlementprogram issues. The paper states that improving the nation's financialsecurity should begin in part by committing to a balanced budget andrestraining spending in Medicare and Social Security. The paper alsoprovides recommendations to reform entitlement programs, as well ascriteria for evaluating presidential candidates' proposals for Medicarereform. The paper was released as part of the Brookings Institution's Opportunity 08 campaign ("America's Economy: Headed for Crisis," August 2007).
• New Data, Statehealthfacts.org: Statehealthfacts.org recently updated information on Medicare Advantage plans based on analysis of the latest data from CMS. Information on employer-based healh insurance premiums also was updated using the latest data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Other updates include 2004 diabetes mortality rates by gender and race/ethnicity from CDC, as well as the number of beneficiaries receiving Social Security Disability Insurance for 2005 and the number of Social Security Income beneficiaries by eligibility category and age for 2006 from the Social Security Administration (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 8/10).

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