Avelar Focuses on Health Care Affordability for All & Lowering Costs in State Budget Address

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.- State Rep. Dagmara ‘Dee’ Avelar, D-Romeoville, issued the following  statement regarding the governor’s budget address, highlighting her focus on healthcare  affordability and accessibility for all Illinoisans and continuing to lower everyday costs amid  Washington’s policies:  

“In Illinois, we are focused on having a smart, compassionate budget that stays one step ahead of  Washington’s irresponsible budget cuts. The Trump Administration has worked tirelessly to  increase the cost of health insurance for families, increasing premiums and deductibles as much  as $10,000 per person, not to mention the illegal tariffs that have resulted in a $1,200 tax on  every household. The new state budget anticipates these challenges coming from the federal  government and will continue to be one step ahead of them.  

“Our previous budgets have resulted in tangible benefits for Illinoisans such as increasing the  Child Tax Credit to $2,000, eliminating the state grocery tax, and erasing more than $430 million  in old medical debt for tens of thousands of people. Not to mention, our latest budget makes the  government more efficient by reallocating $382 million to keep helping working families. Our  goal in this state will be to continue helping working people even when the federal government  refuses to do so.  

“I will be going line-by-line in the budget to ensure that health care and insurance is affordable  and accessible to all Illinoisans and that we combat the additional costs the federal government is  imposing on our state. Our future can, and must, remain bright, and that work starts today.”