Sentinel The Shorewood
Wednesday, Januar y 30, 2013
Voyager Media Publications • www.shorewoodsentinel.com
Vol. 18 No. 8
ACTing Accordingly Seminar brings Affordable Care Act into focus By Jonathan Samples Staff Reporter
T
he U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, the presidential election is over and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is here to stay. As the country prepares for full implementation of the new health care reforms in 2014, various organizations such as the DuPage County Health Department are taking it upon themselves to educate the community about just what the new law will mean for them. That education initiative ramped up Jan. 23, as area non-profits were invited to take part in a special educational seminar with policy experts in a variety of health related issues. The goal of the seminar was to underscore the central role many non-profits play as sources of community outreach and highlight ways they can connect with their clients to ensure they are enrolled in and taking full advantage of the ACA. “Not-for-profits play a whole variety of roles within the community,” said Maureen McHugh, executive director of the DuPage County Health Department. “When I look out in the audience, we have food banks, we have the People’s Resource Center -- which is food, clothing, and social services -- we have Metropolitan Family Services, which, again, is a
whole range of services on the community.” McHugh said that with implementation of the ACA already under way, it is important for nonprofits to recognize what effects the Act will have on their clients, many of whom are uninsured or on Medicaid. “So when we talk about care coordination,when we talk about enrollment, when we talk about the overall health of the client and linking them into services, non-for-profits have to get involved.” The speakers at Wednesday’s summit ranged from experts in the health care field to legal advocates who work with people in helping them access health care benefits. They included John Bouman, president of the Shriver Center, Stephanie Altman, program and policy director with Health and Disability Advocates, Stephani Becker, senior policy analyst with HAD, and Kathy Chan, associate director of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition.
Who’s covered One of the more important aspects of the ACA, according to Bouman, is that it will provide health care coverage to 36 million of the 50 million people currently uninsured in the country. “People need to realize how dysfunctional the current system is,” Bouman said.“While change See ACA, page 3
Police seek help in fatal shooting investigation Police seek public’s help in investigation of Jan. 22 fatal shooting Joliet Police are hoping the public can help them identify the occupants of a red SUV, possibly a Lincoln Navigator, who were involved in a Jan.
22 shooting during which one man was killed and another injured. Police said they were called to 205 Hunter around 6:17 a.m. Jan. 22 for a report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found a man later identified as
Christopher Perry Jr., 24, who had been shot and was lying unresponsive near a vehicle in front of the home. They also found a 23-year-old man lying nearby who also was shot. The two men were transported to Presence St.
Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. Perry was pronounced dead at the hospital at 7:18 p.m. that day.The other man was listed in stable condition as of Jan. 23. Police said the shooting was gang-related. Witnesses at the scene said they saw a person in
the passenger side of the SUV reach over the driver and fire shots at the two men. Those with any information are asked to call Joliet Police Investigations, 815-724-3020, or Crimestoppers of Will County,, 800-323-6784.