CHICAGO, Ill. – State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago is fighting to build a stronger Illinois by supporting an initiative to explore potential solutions to make health insurance more affordable.
“Fighting for true equity starts by addressing the core symptoms of the issue, including accessibility to high-quality, affordable health care for our residents,” said Buckner. “COVID-19 has brought to the forefront the reality of how our state suffers when families do not have proper health care access.”
Buckner voted to pass Senate Bill 1864, which calls for research on how to make health care more affordable in Illinois and expand accessibility to patients regardless of socioeconomic background. This measure would direct state agencies responsible for regulating insurance and health care to report to the General Assembly and the governor to help craft effective policy solutions.
During his time in the General Assembly, Buckner has championed health care affordability and access. He has sponsored numerous pieces of legislation aimed at capping drug costs and insurance premiums, such as Senate Bill 667, which caps the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $100 per 30-day supply. He continues to advocate for health care-related financial freedom by introducing, sponsoring and supporting legislation on the issue.
“COVID-19 has hit our African American communities harder than any other racial or ethnic group, and this is due to racial health disparities that exist within the system. In Illinois, Black people make up 14% of the population, but account for almost 30% of COVID-19 deaths in Illinois,” Buckner continued. “I urge the governor to sign this important legislation that helps address the underlying inequities in our health systems, and provides for the groundwork to craft innovative solutions to health inequities in our state.”
The Buckner-backed legislation passed both the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, and awaits the governor’s signature to become law.
