The Illinois House of Representatives has named leaders of its committees for the coming legislative session. [Health News Illinois]

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, said in a statement that committee chairs provide “invaluable legislative knowledge, firsthand experience at the critical junctures where policy is implemented on the community level, an abiding sense of compassion and a deep appreciation for the importance of the work we’re doing on behalf of Illinois families.”

For notable healthcare committee appointments: 

• Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, will chair the Appropriations-Health and Human Services Committee.
• Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, will chair the Healthcare Licenses Committee.
• Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, will chair the Healthcare Availability and Access Committee.
• Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, will chair the Human Services Committee.
• Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, will chair the Insurance Committee.
• Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, will chair the Mental Health and Addiction Committee.
• Rep. Jawaharial Williams, D-Chicago, will chair the Prescription Drug Affordability Committee.
• Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, D-Naperville, will chair the Public Health Committee.

Welch recently announced several changes to the House’s leadership team. While Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, remains majority leader, Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, will become speaker pro-tempore and co-budgeteer. Other co-budgeteers will be Reps. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, and Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago.

Former speaker pro-tempore and budgeteer Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, will serve as an assistant majority leader.

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The "medical freedom" movement that has gained traction in the U.S. since the COVID-19 pandemic could continue to push public health statistics in a troubling direction, experts told MedPage Today.

They were in part reacting to a recent New York Times story about how vaccine skeptics and others in the "medical freedom" movement are having more influence on American politics.

Indeed, in recent years, childhood vaccination rates have declined, while exemption rates have gone up, according to KFF. In 2024, the percentage of U.S. kindergartners with an exemption from at least one required vaccine increased to 3.3%, the highest percentage ever noted, according to the CDC. There also were more than 32,000 cases of pertussis, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and there were 16 measles outbreaks totaling 284 cases, up from 4 outbreaks with 59 cases the year prior, CDC said.

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The United States has the highest rate of drug overdose deaths out of 30 countries, according to a new report from the health nonprofit the Commonwealth Fund.   [KFF Health News & The Hill]

Overdose deaths in the U.S. dipped slightly around 2018 after a years-long rise. But those deaths began to rise again in 2019 and shot up during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

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The Institute of Medicine of Chicago 2025  Leadership Awards are open for nominations. The seven award categories are open to all through April 23, 2025.  There is no fee to submit an entry. The award winners will be recognized at the 2025 Leadership Awards & Annual Meeting on June 26, 2025 at Maggianos-Chicago.  More details here>

This year, 2025, IOMC celebrates its 110th Anniversary.  We are preparing for a wonderful event - accomplishments and bright future. Join us! 

This is IOMC's largest event of the year. Don't miss it- meet the new Board of Governors, keynote speakers, awards recognition, introducing the new Class of Fellows, networking and more. Look for more information and details in the coming weeks. 

Interested in past award recipients, visit this page> 

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On Jan. 6, 2025, CMS announced the 15 states selected to participate in the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) model.  The model launched on January 1, 2025, and will run for 10 years. [CMS]

Model Overview 

TMaH is the newest CMS model designed to focus exclusively on improving maternal health care for people enrolled in Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The model will support participating state Medicaid agencies (SMAs) in the development of a whole-person approach to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care that addresses the physical, mental health, and social needs experienced during pregnancy. The goal of the model is to reduce disparities in access and treatment. The model aims to improve outcomes and experiences for mothers and their newborns, while also reducing overall program expenditures.

Despite spending more per capita on maternal health care than any other nation, the U.S. has disproportionately high rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes as compared to other high-income nations. The TMaH Model provides SMAs with targeted support in the form of funding and technical assistance. The goal of this support is to improve maternal health care and birth outcomes while reducing associated health disparities.  This support also enables states to develop a value-based alternative payment model for maternity care services which will improve quality and health outcomes and promote long term sustainability of services.

TMaH’s initiatives will center on three main pillars> 

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Illinois will receive $17 million over the next 10 years to support a new Medicaid model to improve maternal health outcomes. [Health News Illinois]

Illinois was one of 15 states to receive approval Monday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to develop and pilot a comprehensive, integrated approach to physical and mental health, as well as social needs for people during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care.

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services said in a statement the project will be piloted in the Aurora and Rockford communities, which include a mix of rural, suburban and urban populations and “persistent disparities” in maternal health and birth outcomes.

The project has a three-year pre-implementation period and a seven-year implementation period. HFS will work with providers and community-based organizations to implement it.

“We are honored to be chosen to participate in this new, innovative model, which will allow us to focus directly on improving maternal and child health outcomes in two underserved areas of the state,” said HFS Acting Director Lizzy Whitehorn. “This support will go a long way to promoting equitable access to healthcare for families at a very critical time — during pregnancy, through childbirth and during the postpartum period.”

The agency said most of the funds will be invested in provider infrastructure. The money will help to develop a value-based alternative payment model for maternity care services. 

The effort aims to increase access to midwives, doulas, lactation consultants and perinatal community health workers. It will target improving prenatal care for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, reducing complicated procedures like C-sections for low-risk birthing persons and lowering rates of postpartum depression and anxiety.

Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said they will support the initiative. It builds on Gov JB Pritzker’s administration’s goal to improve Illinois’ maternal health outcomes. 

“​​This latest effort by HFS to improve maternal health is another example of Illinois finding innovative solutions to improving the physical, mental and social care of our residents,” Vohra said

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More stringent standards for public health intervention based on blood lead levels in children are among the new public health laws and rules that took effect this month. [Health News Illinois] 

A new regulation requires children residing in a high-risk ZIP code to be automatically tested at 12, 24 and 36 months. Children younger than 6 years old must be assessed for lead exposure through a pediatrician-administered questionnaire.

Blood tests that come back with lead levels exceeding 3.5 micrograms per deciliter will require a public health intervention that includes a home inspection to determine the source of the lead contamination. 

A public health nurse will also visit and educate the family on ways to protect children from the harmful effects of lead.

“We appreciate the leadership of Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois General Assembly and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules in advancing solutions that protect our residents and make our Illinois communities healthier,” Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement.

The provision was one of several highlighted by the agency. Other laws taking effect this month will:

-Require nursing homes that undergo ownership changes to develop a plan of care for residents.

-Add clinics and other healthcare providers affiliated with hospitals to reporting requirements for cases of patient abuse by staff. 

-Require assisted living facilities to submit plans for construction or renovations for approval by the Department of Public Health.

-Prohibit the advertisement or promotion of electronic cigarettes that are designed to look like another, non-smoking product.

-Expand programs that distribute free fentanyl test strips to help individuals detect the presence of opioids.

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This week, KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” presents a conversation with Francis Collins, former National Institutes of Health director and White House science adviser. [KFF Health News]

Collins, the longest-serving presidentially appointed head of the nation’s crown jewel of biomedical research, spoke last month with KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner. He has a new book out, called “The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust.”

In this interview, Collins discusses what may lie ahead for NIH in the coming Trump administration; how he and other science leaders failed to communicate to the public during the covid-19 pandemic; and his work with the group Braver Angels, which aims to facilitate conversations among people who disagree on policy issues.

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This year, MedPage Today reported on a slew of developments for artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. In this report, we examine what lies ahead for healthcare AI in the new year. [MedPageToday}

In November, a newly-assembled FDA advisory committee held a 2-day meeting to develop guidance for the agency on questions around generative AI-enabled medical devices. The Digital Health Advisory Committee advocated developing a regulatory approach that focuses on premarket performance evaluation and risk management as well as continuous performance monitoring after these devices are on the market.

However, the committee stopped short of offering specific recommendations, suggesting that regulatory changes are not in the immediate future for healthcare AI.

"There is a level of caution and thoughtfulness that I'm hearing more from the regulatory community recently," Brian Anderson, MD, chief executive officer of the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI), told Medpage Today, adding that "it's getting the cart in front of the horse, if you create a robust regulatory process that's not informed by where private sector innovators are going."

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A recent study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health found that when primary care clinics added suicide care practices to routine visits, suicide attempts dropped by 25% in the 3 months after the visit. The findings highlight how impactful it can be for primary care clinics to take an active role in preventing suicide and help empower health systems to integrate those practices into clinical care.

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