Join our office and neighborhood volunteers for Earth Day, Saturday April 21 at 9:00 a.m. We will be repainting several fences on the city's parkway as part of the 48th Ward Clean & Green Event. We will meet at 5533 N. Broadway and walk to the nearby location. Please click here for additional Earth Day volunteer opportunities with the 48th Ward Green and Clean, and the Edgewater Environmental Sustainability Earth Day Projects and here for the 49th Ward volunteer opportunities. You can also visit the City of Chicago's website for info on projects in neighborhoods all around the city.

Also, please visit the earth day clean-up and celebration co-sponsored by myself , Representative Kelly Cassidy, and the Touhy Advisory Park Council. This event will take place at Touhy Park, 7348 N. Paulina on Saturday April 21 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Join in to mulch trees, and clean the park. Children who attend will enjoy pizza, juice, and face-painting.

Dear Neighbor,

The State's Medicaid program is the major issue under discussion this week, with the Governor outlining a proposal to reduce the unfunded Medicaid liability by $2.7 billion. The Governor's proposal has 3 components:

1. Cuts, reductions and efficiencies totaling over $1.35 billion (50% of the $2.7 billion),
2. A rate reduction to providers totaling $675 million (25%), and
3. A $1/pack increase in the cigarette tax which raises $337.5 million and can be matched by the federal government for a total of $675 million in new revenues (25%).

Both the Chicago Sun-Times and Tribune support the Governor's plan in editorials today. This proposal will be discussed with the legislative working group on Medicaid, which aims to reach a bi-partisan agreement on achieving the $2.7 billion Medicaid solution. As a member of this legislative group, I understand the challenge we have to pass a plan that provides ongoing stability to Medicaid, ensures providers can actually get paid, and maintains quality healthcare for Illinois' most vulnerable residents. We meet again early next week to continue our negotiations with the Governor's Office on this proposal.

The list of program cuts and eliminations includes 58 items including:

• Scouring the Medicaid rolls to remove clients who are not eligible ($120 million);
• Eliminating the Illinois Cares Rx program which helps subsidize drug costs for seniors ($72 million);
• Limiting the number of prescriptions to 5 without a doctor certification of need ($146 million);
• Establishing a moratorium on new admissions of "intermediate care" residents (generally individuals with mental illnesses) to intermediate care nursing facilities ($114 million); and
• Reforming private insurance market to increase coverage to allow families to keep children in their homes with proper supports ($250 million).

I welcome your comments and suggestions about the proposal, and am meeting with many provider groups and advocates to determine how we can best achieve the needed solution while maintaining a strong safety net.

Please let me know if you have questions on these or any other items. You can reach me by email at hsteans@senatedem.ilga.gov or by phone at 773-769-1717.

Best regards,

Heather A. Steans