Health care association favored Blagojevich

SPRINGFIELD -- The departure of Rod Blagojevich as Illinois' governor is not being celebrated in every corner of the state.

Officials of Springfield-based Illinois Primary Health Care Association said the removal of Blagojevich by the state Senate on Thursday concluded a long state nightmare. However, association vice president Philippe Largent called the governor a champion of health care.

Largent pointed out there are thousands of people who have access to health care because of Blagojevich's initiatives.

The association, Largent said, took no stance on whether the governor's health-care initiatives should have convinced the Senate not to remove him from office.

Largent said the organization also didn't take a stand on the governor's recent use of executive power to expand FamilyCare eligibility without legislative approval. The move has been ruled illegal by a Cook County court.