In 2000, Illinois received HRSA State Planning Grant funds to research the uninsured and develop options to expand coverage. Under the grant, the Illinois Assembly was created. The Assembly was a blue ribbon process to review data and develop options to reduce the number of uninsured. The Assembly focused their efforts in three areas:
- Developing a low income insurance product for working adults;
- Expanding KidCare (SCHIP); and
- Developing an employer-sponsored coverage program.
One of the activities of the grant included the development of a pilot community-based coverage program called "three-share." The three-share pilot combines public funding for coverage and employer and employee contributions for a local coverage product.
The state of Illinois was awarded a HRSA pilot planning project grant in 2004 to design, implement, and evaluate two additional three-share programs. In addition, the pilot grant proposed to research and design alternative financing mechanisms.
State Profiles
