Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Signed Into Law

Today, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 state budget (HB 111). This budget includes $55.9 billion in General Funds spending. The Governor line item and reduction vetoed certain appropriations of the budget passed by the General Assembly. To view the reduction veto message, click here.

The Governor also signed the FY 2027 Budget implementation bill (BIMP) (HB 2949), the FY 2027 Revenue Omnibus bill (SB 3019/PA 104-0464), the 2026 Bond Authorization Act (SB 3255/PA 104-0465), and the Medicaid Omnibus bill (SB 3365/PA 104-0466).

TOMORROW: DCFS Cook County Roundtable
Tomorrow, June 17, from 10-11:30 a.m. CT, the Illinois Dept. of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is hosting a virtual roundtable with community leaders to explore how to collaborate more effectively to meet the needs of families served. Click here to join the meeting. The Department’s goals for this meeting are to:

• Strengthen communication across agencies;

• Streamline information-sharing; and 

• Identify collaborative solutions to common service challenges.

We encourage hospitals that serve youth in Cook County to attend if they have feedback on these goals. The Department would like participants to share resources and be prepared to discuss both service challenges and potential solutions your organization can offer. Organizations are directed to email any materials they would like to share, including brochures, flyers, or business cards, their list of program contacts, and questions regarding the roundtable, to Yeni Rojas, DCFS Regional Administrator, Office of Prevention, Community Connection & Intact Family Services for Cook County and Northern Illinois, at Yeni.Rojas2@illinois.gov. 

IDPH Grant Spotlight: Increasing Well-Woman Visits
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health’s (IDPH) Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health Services receives federal Title V funding each year to improve maternal, child, and infant health outcomes across the state. Applications for the Increasing Well-Woman Visits – Community (IWWV-C) Grant Programs are due June 30, 2026. The two-year awards were designed to address Illinois Title V priorities of assuring accessibility, availability, and quality of preventive and primary care for all women—particularly for women of reproductive age—before, after, and between pregnancies. Two clinical organizations and two community-based organizations will be selected for up to $100,000 annually.

The goal of the grant is to develop or measure an intervention aimed at increasing the percent of women ages 18-44 with: 1) a preventive medical visit (well-woman visit) in the past year, and 2) the percent of pregnant women with a postpartum visit. A well-woman visit includes preventive services, such as screening, counseling, and referral or treatment for services including but not limited to immunizations, cancer, chronic disease screening/treatment, and reproductive health. These visits can include but are not limited to mammograms, pap and pelvic exams, emotional well-being, tobacco and substance use, violence and injury prevention, sexual health and healthy relationships, and physical health and health promotion. These visits play a critical role in screening for mental health conditions and in the management of chronic diseases. 

Experts Sought for Feedback on Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan
Work is beginning to update the Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan. This planning process will bring together stakeholders from public health, behavioral health, healthcare systems, education, community-based organizations, crisis response services, advocacy groups, research institutions, and individuals with lived and living experience. Expertise and perspective from hospitals and health systems would be highly valuable to this effort. If you are interested in participating as part of a workgroup, please email Dr. Melissa Commisso at commisso@uillinois.edu by Friday June 19 to get more information and join the effort. 

Staff contact: Lia Daniels

IDPH: Halt Use of ALL Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula 
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) sent an alert yesterday urging parents and guardians to avoid using all lots and sizes of Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic infant formula until further notice. On June 13, all lots and sizes of Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic infant formula were recalled after a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration investigation. IDPH said that no Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic infant formula should remain for sale. 

IDPH said that clinicians who suspect infant botulism should immediately call the Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program at 510-231-7600 for 24/7 case consultation and information related to infant formula use, and should notify their local health department immediately. 

MACPAC Recommends Improvements to Oversight of Medicaid MCOs
The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) has released its June 2026 report to Congress. The report includes recommendations related to automation in Medicaid prior authorization (PA) intended to improve oversight and increase disclosure and transparency of the use of automation in PA. The report also includes recommendations to improve managed care plan accountability and takes a closer look at Medicaid provider enrollment and managed care credentialing processes. It also highlights barriers that impact provider participation and state administrative burden.

The Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard from the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) provides the latest data on hospital visits, seasonal trends, lab test positivity and demographic data. IDPH also tracks COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus information through the Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System dashboard.

Briefly Noted

Leading the News

Rush taps new interim CFO

Becker’s Hospital Review

Kevin Lenahan has been named interim senior vice president and CFO of Chicago-based Rush University System for Health, according to a June 15 LinkedIn post.

Days cash on hand at 50 health systems

Becker’s Hospital Review

As health systems continue to grapple with financial pressures from rising labor and supply costs and reimbursement challenges, days cash on hand remains an important measure of financial stability.

Illinois law targeting e-bikes and similar devices set to take effect in July

WIFR
Several new laws are set to take effect in Illinois on July 1. One of them targets e-bikes, e-scooters and other small electric mobility devices. Senate Bill 3484 creates regulations for high-powered e-bikes and other devices that can exceed 28 miles per hour and previously fell outside existing regulations.