EVA Monday: Obamacare, LaSalle II
In Near Northwest Side neighborhoods Avondale, Hermosa, Logan Square & West Town, 28% of adults are uninsured, according to Health & Disability Advocates. This week they're able to size up coverage under Illinois' new healthcare insurance exchange or the state Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
People looking to lower rates from their current coverage, or who have been denied coverage in the past, also can check 2014 rates from the exchange, through insurers that include Aetna, Blue Cross and Humana. Patrick Corcoran, regional outreach coordinator for the state's Get Covered Illinois program, will explain the options at Monday's East Village Association meeting.
The Get Covered Illinois website launched Oct. 1 and by 3:30pm had attracted 69,840 visitors. The newly expanded state Medicaid site took 1,100 applications. The responses “certainly validate the strong interest in healthcare in Illinois,” said a statement from Jennifer Koehler, executive director of Get Covered Illinois. “It also validates our strategy of education, since all this has come with basically no advertising.”
Also on the Monday agenda is a visit from Lauren A. Albani, the new principal at LaSalle II school, 1148 N. Honore. Albani last year was principal at Humboldt Park's Lafayette School, known for its after-school orchestra. Lafayette this fall was merged into Chopin school at 2450 W. Rice St. Previously Albani was a principal in residence at Skinner North Classical, and taught English at KIPP LEAD College Prep and Spanish at Austin Business and Entrepreneurhsip Academy.
The 7pm meeting is at Happy Village, 1059 N. Wolcott Ave.