Public health and hospitals: More than ever needed and under attack

This presentation will describe issues currently facing the public hospital system for metropolitan Chicago. These include health disparities, growing rates of uninsured persons, budget reductions of the state Medicaid program, the trajectory of constraints on the county tax base limiting local subsidies to the hospital, and the recent record of administrative instability. The presentation will describe community and staff advocacy efforts, and the nature of debates regarding funding and service delivery at the hospital and regionally. The presentation will also discuss how the Affordable Care Act could potentially benefit or harm the health system.