Free assistance for students completeting financial aid applications

The State of Illinois finished 2020 ranked #1 for applcations of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), the form most students use to apply for federal and state financial aid for postsecondary education.

This was due in part to a law passe by the legislature to make FAFSA completion a high school graduation requirement. As we saw in Illinois, this action can increase the number of students who are aware of the resources available to help them afford education or training after high school. This information can also help some students decide to attempt college when they might not otherwise have done so, and it may help some students limit student loan debt and take a fuller course load to more quickly complete a degree or credential.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission already provides free college planning and financial aid workshops and one-on-one assistance for students throughout the year, but the agency is extending its outreach and supports to help address the many obstacles for students created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to meet the state’s new FAFSA Mandate.

ISAC has hosted over 750 online financial aid workshops with school partners, as well as 13 statewide virtual financial aid completion workshops since September 2020, with more scheduled in 2021. As high schools focus their efforts on remote learning and keeping connected with students, ISAC is reaching out directly to schools that previously participated in the CCE campaign and is offering the following free supports statewide:

• Online financial aid completion workshops for students and parents. See studentportal.isac.org/events for statewide virtual events.
• Individual assistance to students and parents in completing financial aid applications, via web conferencing, phone, text, or email. Contact your local ISACorps member for free assistance: studentportal.isac.org/isacorps. Sign up for ISAC’s free text messaging app to get college/financial aid questions answered via text: isac.org/collegeqa.
• ISAC’s FAFSA Completion Initiative and direct outreach to students. ISAC's FAFSA Completion Initiative offers Illinois school districts a way to identify students who have not submitted either a FAFSA or Alternative Application. The application completion information - updated on a weekly basis - can be used by district counselors to help reach students who may need assistance or encouragement to complete an application. To support busy school counselors and with school permission, ISAC can directly reach out to and assist students who have not completed a FAFSA. Find out more at https://www.isac.org/home/fafsa/index.html 
• Financial Aid Online Learning Module for classrooms. ISAC is developing an online learning module for schools to use as part of their remote learning curriculum, which includes a video and a learning packet.
• QR code for outreach to students and families. To improve outreach to students and families during the pandemic, ISAC will be introducing a QR code that links to simple and accessible information for students and families about how to get free assistance with financial aid applications. ISAC is partnering with several schools to pilot a program that will affix stickers with this QR code to free and reduced meal boxes and printed learning materials. Students and families will be able to scan the QR code with their phones to access the information.

Koehler urges Illinois drivers to exercise caution during the winter

PEORIA – State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) is urging Illinois drivers to be extra careful on the road during the winter with the first major storm of the season on the horizon. 

“The winter can make roads dangerous,” Koehler said. “I urge everyone to use extreme care when driving on icy roads and to keep up with the latest information on road conditions.”  

Changing weather conditions always present the opportunity for unpredictable road conditions. Getting Around Illinois is a tool to help drivers make informed decisions on whether to drive and to choose the safest routes. This information is important during the winter because of the potential for icy road conditions. 

Getting Around Illinois can be accessed on computers and smartphones. It provides a way for residents to examine a location, destination, or travel route based on a map of the state. Getting Around Illinois also provides a general overview of highways that are maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The map provided by Getting Around Illinois also features a diverse color scheme and other accessibility options for people who have difficulty distinguishing colors.

Drivers can access Getting Around Illinois by going to the website.

IDOT Winter Job Postings

Koehler, Crespo call for insurance companies and Medicaid MCOs to return excess profits

SPRINGFIELD – In response to decreased use of health care services through Medicaid managed care organizations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, state Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, and state House Assistant Majority Leader Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, filed legislation today to require companies to return excess profits and reallocate funding to critical health care services. 

“While insurance companies and managed care organizations see record-setting profits at the height of a global pandemic, rural communities across the state are experiencing unsustainable strain in their health care systems due to lack of resources,” Koehler said. “The money recouped through this legislation would provide immediate relief for Downstate hospitals that have been devastated by COVID-19.” 

Hospitals across the state are facing an unprecedented decline in outpatient procedures and elective surgeries as a result of the pandemic, contributing to severe financial strain on health care facilities that serve Illinois’ most vulnerable populations. Conversely, MCOs in Illinois have benefitted from these declines, as enrollment-based payments have continued despite decreased use of non-emergency health care services.

In response, Koehler and Crespo introduced Senate Bill 4207 House Bill 5867, respectively, which seeks to reallocatea portion of enrollment-based payments made to Medicaid MCOs throughout the pandemic. From an estimated monthly payment of $1.7 billion, a 20% return would yield $340 million per month that can provide needed relief to hospitals and other health care facilities that have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis. In addition, recouping these funds can provide relief to health care service providers that may be impacted by state budget deficits. 

“While safety net and critical care providers are struggling to remain open and serve their communities, MCO’s are continuing to receive over a billion dollars in state and federal funding each month,” said Crespo. “Residents across Illinois are making significant sacrifices in order to protect themselves and their communities, and we’ve even seen the auto insurance and cable television industries return unused money to consumers. It is unacceptable that MCO’s are profiting off of taxpayer dollars that aren’t being used. Clawing back some of the funding that MCO’s have received throughout the pandemic and reallocating those dollars to health care providers in low-income and rural communities could help hospitals remain open amid ongoing financial instability that has been exacerbated by the pandemic.”

“Minority communities have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and its devastating impact on their health and economic wellbeing,” said Jose Sanchez, President and CEO of Norwegian American Hospital in Chicago. “It’s only fair that the Medicaid managed care organizations provide desperately needed relief to our communities by sharing part of the record profits they have made during the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

For more information on Senate Bill 4207, please visit contact Senator Koehler’s office via email or by calling (309) 677-0120.