<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Illinois IGNN: Health/Human Services News</title><link>http://www.illinois.gov/news/</link><description>The Illinois Government News Network (IGNN) section is your online source for news from the State of Illinois. Choose from the IGNN Links on the right to locate press releases in the categories that are of interest to you, or use the search the news feature to locate specific press releases or a different topic of releases. For other media, access the Illinois Information Service (IIS) Radio page for digital radio feeds and news soundbites.</description><language>en-us</language><copyright>Copyright &#169; 2009 State of Illinois</copyright><pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST</pubDate><ttl>2</ttl><webMaster>cms.rss@illinois.gov</webMaster><lastBuildDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:32:02 CST</lastBuildDate><image>  <title>IGNN</title>  <link>http://www.illinois.gov/news/</link>  <url>http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/images/IGNN133x45.jpg</url>  <width>133</width>  <height>45</height>   </image><!-- Note: You can get the HTML version by replacing .xml to .htm --><item><title><![CDATA[Governor Quinn Establishes Public Health Advocate During American Diabetes Month - Position Will Educate, Serve as a Strong Voice for Illinois Families]]></title><link>http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=19&#x26;RecNum=8047</link><description><![CDATA[CHICAGO – November 21, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn today signed an Executive Order to establish astate Public Health Advocate, who will champion wellness programs and help combat disease, including the rise of Diabetes and Asthma.]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">6DAC4227F4C3D1F6619898D70F2F2B52</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Governor Quinn Signs Legislation to Tap Federal Dollars for Medicaid Providers - New Law Helps Speed Payments to Illinois Hospitals]]></title><link>http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=19&#x26;RecNum=8039</link><description><![CDATA[CHICAGO – November 20, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn today signed a bill into law that allows the state to tap significant federal dollars and speed payments to thousands of Illinois-based hospitals. The new law will improve the financial health of the state’s hospitals, which treat thousands of patients and are major employers.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">0919B5C38396C3F0C41F1112D538E42C</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[State Public Health Director Announces Launch of Hospital Report Card and Consumer Guide to Health Care Web Site - Information to help make better decisions about health care providers]]></title><link>http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=19&#x26;RecNum=8035</link><description><![CDATA[SPRINGFIELD – In a move to provide more information to Illinoisans trying to decide where to receive medical care, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Damon T. Arnold today announced the launch of the Hospital Report Card and Consumer Guide to Health Care Web site.  The Hospital Report Card Act requires all Illinois hospitals to report nurse staffing, infection prevention measures and hospital acquired infections data to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).  The Consumer Guide to Health Care contains information from hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers about conditions and procedures demonstrating the widest variation in charges and quality of care.  The Web site will include inpatient and outpatient data with current comparison information related to volume of cases, average charges, mortality rates, complications and hospital associated infections.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">A2B8A85A29B2D64AD6F47275BF1360C6</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Six Community Events will Highlight Teen REACH Stop the Violence Summit Day - Forums will offer a Chance to see Teen REACH Afterschool Programs in Action]]></title><link>http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=19&#x26;RecNum=8032</link><description><![CDATA[CHICAGO - The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Teen REACH (Responsibility, Education, Achievement, Caring and Hope) program announces its first annual statewide Stop the Violence Summit Day, on Thursday, November 19.  Stop the Violence Summit Day will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Chicago, McHenry, Champaign, Quincy, and Cairo. Located at six Teen REACH sites throughout Illinois, Stop the Violence Summit Day will showcase the variety of positive prevention programs conducted every day to promote positive youth development and prevent community violence.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">319BE2A70DD4B557266C6CA2C20F6DA7</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[Illinois Department of Insurance Announces Exit of Unicare Health Insurance Companies from Illinois - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois to Offer Coverage to Unicare Policyholders]]></title><link>http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=19&#x26;RecNum=8028</link><description><![CDATA[CHICAGO – Unicare Health Insurance Company of the Midwest, Unicare Life & Health Insurance Company, and Unicare Health Plans of the Midwest Inc. (Unicare) have notified the Department of Insurance of their intent to exit the commercial, individual, small group, and large group health insurance markets in Illinois.  The Department has closely supervised this matter in order to protect the interests of Unicare’s policyholders and to ensure that Unicare’s exit is done in compliance with applicable law.]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">F8E918489F1E0A81FF11312F4D0630C1</guid></item></channel></rss>