Take action on health insurance exchange

Amid all of the headline grabbing issues facing our state legislature is one that has gone largely unnoticed, but is of great significance for us in Illinois — that of establishing a Health Insurance Exchange. The 2010 federal health care reform law mandated that each state establish a marketplace for health insurance — often called an “exchange.” If our state does not create such a program, the federal government will impose one.

It is crucial for the legislature to establish an exchange that meets the needs of individuals and small businesses that struggle to provide health coverage for themselves and their employees, coverage that is presented in a way that is easy to understand and that is affordable and of good quality. It is likewise crucial to establish an exchange that meets the needs of consumers and not only the insurance industry.

As a rabbi, I know the challenge and suffering that everyday families face under the increasing burden of finding and maintaining health coverage. As an individual, I have faced the same challenges. The next session of the General Assembly will convene soon. Tell your legislators, and their leaders, that we expect them to take action on this now, not later.

Marc J. Belgrad

Buffalo Grove