Dupage Policy Journal

Dr. Bill Rhoades, chief medical officer at Advocate Good Samaritan, welcomed Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other lawmakers during the signing of the Medicaid omnibus bill.

Rhoades was appreciative of the health care effort as he also talked about the medical attention and protection needed by Illinoisans with regard to COVID-19 and the countrywide requirement of blood donations.

“Advocate Aurora Health and Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital are pleased to welcome you today,” Rhoades addressed the state leaders. “Thank you for coming together today to pay attention to this important health care need. Thank you, governor.”

Apart from affirming the importance of the Illinois Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Act, Rhoades also highlighted blood donation requirements across the state.

“Today we're going to cover two important concerns in our state,” he said. “First, an urgent need nationwide for blood donations, and I want to thank all of the policy leaders here today, Majority Leader Greg Harris, Sen. Anne Gillespie, Sen. Mattie Hunter, Sen. Susie Glowiak Hilton, Stephanie Altman with the Shriver Center, and Timothy Jackson with the AIDS Foundation. They’ve all joined us to mark this important legislative achievement in signing the Medicaid omnibus bill which makes important changes to strengthen our care delivery in our state and advance our journey toward health equity.”

The bill which was primarily sponsored by Senate and House lawmakers Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) and Harris (D-Chicago) will require the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Department of Human Services to develop a comprehensive statewide behavioral health strategy that would “address key components of current and past legislation as well as current initiatives related to behavioral health services in order to develop a cohesive behavioral health system that reduces the administrative burden for customers and providers.”

The strategy should include comprehensive home and community-based services, integrated mental health, substance use disorder, and physical health services among others.

Senate Bill 2294, after the governor signed it at the Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital last week is now Public Act 102-0043.

Rhoades also provided a brief COVID update at the hospital.

“I'm happy to announce today we have zero COVID patients in our hospital,” he said. “And this is demonstrating the great progress we've made with the effectiveness of vaccines. I encourage everyone, if you’re not vaccinated to please get your vaccine.”

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital offers COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment and on a walk-in basis (availability based on daily vaccine supply), according to its website.