IHA Daily Briefing: March 16

URGENT: Contact Your House Representative Now to Support HB 2371 SA 2 and 340B

We also encourage you to share this information with your hospital leadership team and staff and ask them to use the platform to contact their legislators as well. Lawmakers need to hear from the healthcare professionals and community members who see firsthand how the 340B program supports patient care. Make clear the urgency of passing HB 2371 SA 2 in light of looming federal Medicaid cuts facing Illinois hospitals, and ask your Representative to co-sponsor the legislation and share their support directly with House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch and urge him to call the bill for a vote.

IHA Board of Trustees Meets; Senate President Harmon Provides Legislative Update

The IHA Board of Trustees met last Friday with A.J. Wilhelmi, IHA President and CEO, and IHA leaders, who discussed the status of the hospital community's 2026 advocacy priorities and provided an overview of the state and federal political landscape heading into the March 17 Primary Election. Trustees also welcomed Senate President Don Harmon, who joined the board to discuss the state budget outlook and key policy issues facing the General Assembly.

Harmon described a challenging fiscal environment this year, citing significant uncertainty from Washington, including the potential for substantial federal healthcare funding cuts that could create pressure on the state budget. Despite those challenges, he thanked Illinois hospitals and IHA for their partnership in advancing the enhancement of the Hospital Assessment Program last year, which was approved by the federal government in September and resulted in an increase of $1.47 billion in new, net Medicaid funding for hospitals. He also noted that distribution planning for the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is underway and will be incorporated into the broader state budget process.

During a question-and-answer session with trustees, Harmon discussed several healthcare issues, including the 340B program. He noted that while the Senate previously unanimously passed legislation to protect the 340B program, pharmaceutical manufacturers have mounted significant opposition in the House. Harmon suggested that continued engagement with House members may help move the issue forward.

Educational Opportunity: Developing Cybersecurity Resiliency for Everyone

Updated Cholesterol Guideline Advises Earlier Screening, Treatment

It is estimated 1 in 4 U.S. adults has high levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. In response, the American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association, and nine other leading medical associations have issued an updated guideline to offer a comprehensive "one-stop shop" for best assessing and managing cholesterol and triglycerides.

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

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday released a proposed rule to revise and rescind requirements on emissions from commercial facilities that use ethylene oxide (EtO) gas to sterilize medical devices and other equipment. The proposal repeals requirements established by the previous administration in a 2024 final rule that significantly reduced EtO emissions. EPA said in a news release that it's concerned current emission standards "actively threaten facilities' ability to sterilize equipment and jeopardize one of America's only options for a secure domestic supply chain of essential medical equipment."

Leading the News

Who will win the U.S. Senate primaries in Illinois? Let's look at the data

WUIS
In 2026, for the first time in 30 years, Dick Durbin will not appear on the ballot for Illinois' Class II U.S. Senate seat. With his retirement, the race is wide open, and both major political parties are vying to field competitive candidates.

Are tornadoes surging in Illinois? What you need to know

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Are there more tornadoes hitting Illinois and Chicago than in the past? Illinois had more than 140 tornadoes last year, putting it neck and neck with Texas for the most of any U.S. state. And numbers across the country have been rising over the past 50 years.

Illinois bill aims to address gender discrepancies in CPR training

Capitol News Illinois

When someone experiences a heart attack, the emergency protocol is universal for all genders - first responders are supposed to place the patient on their back and their hands in the center of the chest, then push hard and fast.