July 2007

Illinois consumer fact sheet on joint processing of food stamps and SSI applications

Congress has taken action with the intent of keeping undocumented immigrants off Medicaid rolls, but the ironic result is that U.S. citizens across the country are losing their health care. The citizenship documentation requirement has led to widespread declines in Medicaid enrollment and increased administrative costs for states. This decrease almost entirely reflects difficulties that American citizens are encountering in obtaining birth certificates or passports.

Springfield, IL – State Gov. Rod Blagojevich ordered the Division of Insurance of the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to issue two new administrative rules that will deal with impediments to quality health care faced by Illinois residents who purchase health insurance on the "individual market."

Guest author Stephani Becker, Health & Disability Advocates, Chicago, Illinois. Food and nutrition advocates in Illinois have been working with the Chicago Region of the Social Security Administration since January to improve the joint processing of SSI and food stamps at its local offices. View their fact sheet describing what consumers and caseworkers need to know before going to a local Social Security Administration office to apply for SSI and food stamps.

The rate of homeownership within a community is more than just a monetary asset. Lending rates charged to minority women have a lasting impact on individuals as well as their communities. Many mortgage brokers label women as “high risk” borrowers, but recent research reveals how financial institutions perpetuate this stereotype, and that Black and Latino families are hit the hardest.

Despite strong support from the Illinois House, a long overdue and much needed increase in the cash grants Illinois pays to families in its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program remains uncertain. Includes data tables comparing Illinois TANF and AFDC grants with the Federal Poverty Level for a household of three people.

After factoring in assets, participants in public benefits programs are more likely to have no net worth or a negative net worth, even though caseworkers are required to administer and validate asset amounts. Advocates consider the Freedom to Save Act of 2007 one viable solution.

Arlington, VA – the National Aging and Law Conference is to hold its seventh annual conference this October. This year’s theme is, “Safety Net for Older Americans: What Can Be Done to Protect It?”