Health & Hospitals System Focus of Cook County Board Meeting

Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting - September 14, 2016

Significant Topics Discussed 
It was a full day at the Cook County Board meeting with much of the agenda focussed on the Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS).

• The Direct Access Program (sponsored by Comm. Gainer) was approved by the Board. This program offers healthcare to uninsured Cook County residents. The County will provide a primary physician, a membership card, and a handbook describing services. The goal is to provide healthcare with dignity for citizens at or below 200% of the poverty level.
• The preliminary CCHHS budget was approved and submitted to the President’s office for inclusion in the 2017 Cook County Budget. Comm. Suffredin stated he will be expressing concerns about the level of reductions as he fears the system will be weakened if cuts are too large.
• The board also approved the Impact 2020 strategic plan for CCHHS and the 3-year financial forecast presented by the CCHHS Board.
• A gun violence research consortium was approved by the Board. The CCHHS considers this a public health emergency. County hospital treats 800 shooting victims each year. The study will concentrate on the health challenges of treating victims of gun violence (short and long term), not the political issues. CCHHS will develop the questions for the research project. During the discussion, the commissioners acknowledged that this research work may have regional and national implications.

Topics Referred to Committee

• During the public testimony segment of the meeting, there were numerous citizens testifying in favor of the “Responsible Business Act.” This act, according to those who testified, would raise workers’ wages and compel corporations to pay their fair share in taxes. At present, County services are filling the gap between what low-pay workers earn and what it actually costs to live in Cook County. This item was referred to the finance committee.
• The Rules & Administration committee agenda contained two items that would establish guidelines for managing the consent calendar and establishing decorum guidelines for speakers at Board meetings. Because there was not sufficient time for citizens to review the items and provide feedback, both amendments were deferred to the October meeting. Several of the commissioners acknowledged that these items were important to the LWVCC and other civic organizations.

Of Note: Two full hours (from 12:50pm-2:50pm) was spent on the Consent Agenda recognizing various anniversaries, retirements, 9-11 testimonials, and the accomplishments of constituents. Several citizens waiting to testify on the Responsible Business Act had to leave and return to their jobs before they could be heard since several committee meetings and this extremely long consent agenda delayed the time for public comment on the topic.

Observer - Georgia Gebhardt