Last updated: October 2007

Common Questions

What is Illinois Health Connect?

Illinois Health Connect is a new health care program of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Illinois Health Connect helps most patients receiving medical public assistance—All Kids, Moms & Babies, and FamilyCare recipients—obtain a medical home for all of their medical needs.

Who manages Illinois Health Connect?

Automated Health Systems

What is Automated Health Systems?

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services contracted with Automated Health Systems to launch and administer Illinois Health Connect. Automated Health Systems is responsible for recruiting, educating, and supporting providers as well as assisting participants in enrolling with a "best fit" primary care provider.

In the six counties that offer enrollment into voluntary health plans, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services has contracted with Automated Health Systems to be the client enrollment broker to provide unbiased participant education about and enrollment with a health plan and a primary care provider.

What is a medical home?

A medical home is where patients go to see their primary care provider. A medical home—a solo or group practice, clinic, or health center—houses a patient’s medical records.

Who must join Illinois Health Connect?

Most people with an Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services or All Kids medical card must join Illinois Health Connect.

Who cannot join Illinois Health Connect?

• People who receive Medicare
• Children under 21 who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Children in foster care and children who get subsidized guardianship or adoption assistance from the Department of Children and Family Services
• Children under 21 who are blind or who have a disability
• People who reside in nursing facilities
• American Indians and Alaska natives
• People with spend-down
• Refugees
• People who get home and community-based services such as the Community Care Program, the Home Service Program, or community services for persons with developmental disabilities
• People residing in Community Integrated Living Arrangements
• People enrolled in the following programs: 
      - Illinois Healthy Women
      - All Kids Rebate and FamilyCare Rebate
      - Illinois Cares Rx (SeniorCare/Circuit Breaker)
      - Transitional Assistance (19 or older)
      - Emergency Medical Only
      - Hospice
      - Sexual assault, renal, and hemophilia programs
• People with good private health insurance
• Children under age 21 whose care is managed by the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) of the University of Illinois at Chicago

When can I call my primary care provider?

A PCP will provide direct access to enrollees through an answering service/paging mechanism or other approved arrangement for coverage twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (24/7). Enrollees should contact their PCP for directions on how to contact him/her when the office is closed. 

If an enrollee cannot reach their PCP after-hours or one the weekend, the enrollee can call the Illinois Nurse Helpline for help. The Illinois Nurse Helpline phone number is 1-800-571-8094 (TTY: 1-800-571-8419). The call is free.

Referrals

What is a referral?

A referral is an authorization provided by a primary care provider to enable an enrollee to seek medical care from another provider. A PCP will make medically necessary referrals to HFS enrolled providers including specialists, as needed.

Which medical providers require a referral?

• Physicians, other than an individual’s primary care provider (with the except obstetricians and gynecologists)
• Nurse practitioners, midwives, and physician assistants
• Podiatrists and chiropractors
• Rural health clinics, federally qualified health clinics, clinics,  which are not considered an individual’s “medical home”
• Audiologists
• All other providers of services that are not direct-access services (specialists)

How do providers know to whom they can refer their patients?

Providers can call the Illinois Health Connect Helpline to access the Referral Resource Directory. This useful tool assists providers and enrollees in identifying medical professionals and community-based agencies that can help address the patients’ medical and other (e.g. WIC, transportation) needs.

If a physician sees a patient without a required referral, may the physician charge the patient?

No. If the physician accepts a client as an Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services medical assistance patient, the physician may not charge the patient for covered services. 

Would the provider be paid without a referral?

No. The provider would not be paid for its services until a referral is entered from the client’s primary care provider.

May referrals be entered retroactively?

Yes, referrals made by Illinois Health Connect PCPs may be backdated a maximum of 14 days prior to the date the referral is logged into the system. Specialists should attempt to obtain a referral from the primary care provider before providing services; however, if the care is urgent and a prior referral cannot be obtained, the specialist may provide the service, and the primary care provider may enter a referral after the fact. If a specialist believes that a primary care provider is unreasonably refusing to enter a referral, the specialist can request the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services to review the situation.

May a direct-access provider—specifically school-based health centers—enter a referral for a patient to see a specialist even if the direct-access provider is not the patient’s primary care provider?

No. Only the patient’s primary care provider may enter referrals.

Under Harmony and Family Health Network, referrals may be subject to review for medical necessity. How rigorous is this review, and how often are referrals denied because of it?

Each managed care organization has different criteria for review of medical necessity.

If a client in Harmony Health Plan or Family Health Network needs to see a specialist and one is not in the provider network or none can be easily accessed, is the client allowed to see a specialist outside the network?

Managed care organizations are required to provide all services covered by their contract, either through an in-network provider or, if necessary, through an out-of-network doctor. Managed care organizations handle situations of this kind on a case-by-case basis.

What is the client’s recourse if a provider refuses to write a referral?

Illinois Health Connect and the managed care organizations have complaint procedures for clients having difficulty obtaining a referral.

Which medical services are direct-access services, that is, they do not require a referral?

• Services to newborns up to 91 days after birth
• Obstetrics, gynecology, and family planning services
• Shot/immunizations
• Emergency room visits
• Emergency and non-Emergency Transportation
• Pharmaceuticals
• Hospital services
• Dental services
• Vision services
• Mental health and substance abuse services provided by Department of Human Services Community Mental Health Service Providers (provider type 36) and Department of Human Services Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Service Providers (provider type 75) 
• Lead screening and epidemiological services
• Outpatient ancillary services (radiology, pathology, laboratory, anesthesia)
• Services to treat sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis
• Early intervention services
• Therapies
• Services provided by:
      - School-based or school-linked clinics (for children under age 21)
      - School-based clinics through local education authorities (for children under age 21)
      - Local health departments
      - Mobile vans, with Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services approval
      - Federally qualified health clinics for the homeless

May any provider enrolled with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services provide direct-access services?

Yes. When physicians enroll with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, they agree to accept payment in full from the department for covered services. If a physician accepts a client as an Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services medical assistance patient, the physician may not charge the patient for covered services.

What happens if patients seek care at an ER for a non-emergency condition?

Non-emergency patients are triaged and referred to their primary care providers for follow-up. The ER claim will be paid since all ER services are direct access.

How can primary care providers monitor what direct-access services their patients receive?

Primary care providers can review claims data that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services receives for their patients. Providers should call Automated Health Services at 1-866-912-1999 to request this information. 

Choosing a Primary Care Provider

How does a patient in Cook County choose a primary care provider?

A patient can pick a Primary Care Provider in 3 ways: calling the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker Helpline at 1-877-912-8880 (TTY: 1-866-565-8576), going online at Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, completing and mailing the enrollment form to the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker. 

If a patient calls the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker Helpline, an Illinois Client Enrollment Broker representative will assist the patient by providing education on the patients health care choices, picking a health plan that will best meet their medical needs—Illinois Health Connect, Harmony Health Plan, or Family Health Network, picking a PCP in that health plan and enrolling the patient with the health plan and PCP. Patients can also obtain information on their health care choices, pick a health plan and PCP and enroll online at Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

How does a patient in Madison, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties choose a primary care provider?

A patient can pick a Primary Care Provider in 3 ways: calling the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker Helpline at 1-877-912-8880 (TTY: 1-866-565-8576), going online at Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, or completing and mailing the enrollment form to the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker.

If a patient calls the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker Helpline, an Illinois Client Enrollment Broker representative will assist the patient by providing education on the patients health care choices, picking a health plan that will best meet their medical needs—Illinois Health Connect OR Harmony Health Plan, picking a PCP in that health plan and enrolling the patient with the health plan and PCP. Patients can also obtain information on their health care choices, pick a health plan and PCP and enroll online at Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

What is the difference among Illinois Health Connect, Harmony Health Plan, and Family Health Network?

Illinois Health Connect is a Primary Care Case Management (PCCM) model of health care that combines some components of managed care and fee-for-service. Unlike the Managed Care Organization, the PCP is not at financial risk for the services provided.

Family Health Network and Harmony Health Plan are Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), which is a model of health care that is based upon managing care to improve quality and reduce costs. The MCO is at financial risk for the services provided and is paid a monthly premium or capitation payment for each member enrolled in the health plan.

How can patients in Cook, Madison, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties switch their health plan?

Patients in Cook, Madison, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties can switch their health plan by calling the Illinois client enrollment broker at 1-877-912-8880 (TTY: 1-866-565-8576). The call is free. Patients who want to change their health plan from an MCO to another MCO, or from Illinois Health Connect to a MCO may need to allow two to six weeks for the change to become effective.

How does a patient in the non-voluntary managed care counties (all counties in Illinois EXCEPT Cook, Madison, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties) choose a primary care provider?

A patient can pick a Primary Care Provider in 3 ways: calling the Illinois Health Connect Helpline at 1-877-912-1999 (TTY: 1-866-565-8577), going online at Illinois Health Connect, or completing and mailing the enrollment form to Illinois Health Connect. 

If a patient calls the Illinois Health Connect Helpline, an Illinois Health Connect representative will assist the patient by providing education on the patient’s health care choices, picking a PCP in Illinois Health Connect and enrolling the patient with the PCP. Patients can also obtain information on their health care choices, pick a PCP and enroll online at Illinois Health Connect.

What if a patient already has a primary care provider?

If a patient has been regularly seeing a primary care provider who accepts the patient’s medical card, and is enrolled as a PCP in Illinois Health Connect, the patient more than likely can pick that provider for their PCP. Automated Health Systems is now actively enrolling HFS enrolled providers in Illinois Health Connect.
Note: If a provider wants to continue seeing Medicaid patients, the provider must enroll in Illinois Health Connect.

May members of the same family have a different primary care provider?

Yes.

May patients change their primary care providers?

Yes. Patients may change their primary care providers for any reason once a month. Patients enrolled in Illinois Health Connect must call 1-877-912-1999 (TTY: 1-866-565-8577). The change is effective within 24 to 48 hours. Patients enrolled in Harmony Health Plan or Family Health Network should call their health plan to change providers.

May patients look up on their own if providers are enrolled in Illinois Health Connect?

Yes. The Illinois Health Connect website and the Illinois Client Enrollment website will list the names of primary care providers from whom clients can choose for their medical home.

May patients choose a primary care provider outside Illinois (as long as the provider is enrolled with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services as a primary care provider)?

Yes. A client may choose a primary care provider outside Illinois as long as the primary care provider is enrolled in the Illinois Health Connect Program.

Does the Illinois Health Connect online provider database include a field for language(s) spoken by the primary care provider?

Yes. Patients can see if primary care providers speak languages other than English.

If a family enrolled in Harmony Health Plan or Family Health Network moves to an area where its managed care organization does not operate, and thus the family has to switch from its managed care organization to Illinois Health Connect, will the family still have to wait the normal two- to six-week period for its change to take effect?

If a client in a managed care organization moves to an area not covered by the client’s managed care organization, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may immediately disenroll the client from the managed care organization, if necessary, to access care. This is done only on a case-by-case basis with proof of the client’s new address.

What if a client fails to enroll with Illinois Health Connect?

If a client does not enroll with Illinois Health Connect, the client will be auto assigned to a provider. When auto-assigning clients, Illinois Health Connect will take into account existing provider-client relationships/health plans, the primary care providers of other family members, location, and language preference.

Will Cook, Madison, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties’ clients, who are not currently enrolled in one of the voluntary managed care organizations, be auto assigned to Harmony Health Plan or Family Health Network if they do not enroll?

No. Clients not currently in a managed care organization would be auto assigned only to Illinois Health Connect.

How will Cook, Madison, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties’ clients who are currently enrolled in one of the voluntary managed care organizations be auto-assigned if they do not enroll?

Clients are auto assigned to their respective managed care organizations.

May managed care organizations still enroll clients?

As of February 2007, all enrollments for clients in Cook county will be directed to the Illinois client enrollment broker for processing; however, managed care organizations can continue to market and provide assistance in completion of the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker Enrollment form or otherwise direct participants to the Illinois client enrollment broker to enroll.

Provider Questions

Who may be a primary care provider?

• General practitioners, internists, pediatricians, family practitioners, obstetricians and gynecologists, osteopaths, and other specialists
• Federally qualified health centers, rural health centers, other clinics (including certain specified hospitals), and CCBHS clinics
• Certified local health departments
• School-based or -linked clinics that meet requirements for primary care providers
• Nurse practitioners, midwives, and physician assistants who are linked to a physician
• Other qualified providers as determined by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services

What is the maximum panel list per provider?

For a physician, 1,800 patients, and for a resident, nurse practitioner, midwife, or physician assistant, 900 patients.

PCPs can limit their panel size by age, zip code, or existing patients.

Is a provider required to accept the maximum panel list?

No. The provider sets the limit of how many patients the provider accepts; the provider simply cannot exceed the maximum set by the state. The provider may also opt out of the auto assignment process.

Do the faster payment cycles (30 days for children, 60 for adults) apply to all Illinois Health Connect physicians?

Yes. The faster payment cycles apply to all Illinois Health Connect physicians’ claims for both children (30 days) and adults (60 days).

Providers who use MEDI can check to verify a client’s primary care provider, and this information is updated daily. Is this also true for other REV programs such as Nebo and E-Care?

Yes.

In underserved areas, where additional providers may be permitted to enroll as primary care providers, will these providers still need to meet all of the requirements for primary care providers? For example, may a nurse practitioner, who does not have hospital admitting privileges, be allowed to enroll as a primary care provider with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ approval?

Should the Department of Healthcare and Family Services allow, for example, advanced nurse practitioners in an area to enroll directly as primary care providers, they would have to meet all of the requirements for a primary care provider.

Disease Management (“Your Healthcare Plus”)

What is Your Healthcare Plus?

An optional program, Your Healthcare Plus aims to help clients who suffer from chronic health conditions. Approximately 205,000 patients HFS covered beneficiaries are eligible for the program.

Who manages Your Healthcare Plus?

McKesson Health Solutions manages Your Healthcare Plus.

What chronic health conditions does Your Healthcare Plus manage?

• Lung problems such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, or bronchitis
• Heart problems such as heart failure, coronary artery disease (CAD), or high blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Mental Illness such as depression or schizophrenia
• Chronic pain

Does Your Healthcare Plus replace an individual’s primary care provider?

No. Your Healthcare Plus is a resource to support and assist, not replace, the primary care provider.

How does Your Healthcare Plus target and find chronically ill patients?

Chronically ill patients are found through the state’s history of claims for services for individual patients. Your Healthcare Plus reaches out to the targeted patients by mail, phone and visiting their homes, neighborhoods, and the like.

How does Your Healthcare Plus help chronically ill patients?

Your Healthcare Plus pairs each patient with a special medical team composed of nurses and health educators. The medical team coordinates care with the patient’s primary care provider and specialists in order to give the patient the best care possible. Depending on a patient’s needs, members of the patient’s health team may visit the patient to ensure that the patient is maintaining a healthy lifestyle and is following doctor’s orders.

Who is eligible for Your Healthcare Plus?

The Disease Management program, Your Healthcare Plus, generally serves the chronically ill beneficiaries of Illinois Health Connect – children/adults with asthma, persons with disabilities, and frequent users of the emergency room. Only the state can refer into the program; however, if there are any questions about eligibility please contact Your Healthcare Plus at 1-800-973-6792; (TTY: 1-888-317-2697).

Recruitment

Is the Department of Healthcare and Family Services doing anything to recruit specialists?

While the Department of Healthcare Family Services and Automated Health Systems are focusing on the enrollment of primary care providers, Automated Health Systems will be recruiting specialists, and will maintain a referral resource directory to assist patients and providers in locating specialist and other services that may be necessary.

Implementation

When will Automated Health Systems mail the first enrollment packets?

Illinois Health Connect and the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker will begin mailing the initial enrollment packets in February 2007 in the Cook and Collar Counties and proceed through the Northwest Region and the Central and Southern Regions of Illinois in the following months.

What other follow-ups will Automated Health Systems conduct?

15 days after the initial enrollment package is mailed, Automated Health Systems will send out a reminder notice informing clients that they need to pick a PCP, and if applicable a health plan. Automated Health Systems will also attempt two outgoing calls to enroll clients. If a client has not picked a PCP within 30 days of the initial enrollment package, a second enrollment package will be mailed. This enrollment package will identify the PCP, and health plan if applicable, the client will be assigned to if they do not make a choice. 

Is there a “backup plan,” or a provision to delay implementation, if not enough providers are participating?

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services will not allow implementation in any area without an adequate network.

Will there be a full-time staff member present at every office of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services in the state?

Automated Health Systems, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ administrator for Illinois Health Connect, will have staff located in many Family and Community Resource Centers throughout Illinois. Staff will be strategically placed in offices where the state anticipates a high volume of potential enrollees. The state will provide contact information once the plan for positioning Illinois Health Connect specialists in the local DHS Offices is finalized.

Updated Questions/Answers

Will the All Kids hotline be able to transfer callers to Illinois Health Connect enrollment hotlines?

Automated Health Systems is working with HFS to determine if that will be possible and also if Illinois Health Connect can transfer to All Kids.

Are outpatient services direct access and if so, what are some examples of these types of services?

Outpatient services that require a doctor’s order will not require a referral, such as x-rays, CT scan, MRI, etc. 

How will Illinois Health Connect treat children who have applied for All Kids, but are waiting for their application to be approved?

These children will be considered under the presumptive eligibility program of All Kids and therefore will be excluded from IHC until they receive full All Kids eligibility. Once they do they will need to choose a plan and a PCP.

How can Illinois Health Connect help these "interim" children find a Pediatrician who will, most likely, end up being their PCP?

During the interim, if the guardian calls Illinois Health Connect we will help them find a physician in their area but will not be able to enroll them into Illinois Health Connect and assign a PCP until their All Kids application is approved and they receive their Medicaid number.

Will patients in Cook County, who have chosen the Illinois Health Connect Health Plan, call Illinois Health Connect or the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker to change PCPs?

Those eligible Medicaid individuals living in Cook County should call 1-877-912-8880 (Illinois Client Enrollment Broker) to choose a plan, but 1-877-912-1999 (Illinois Health Connect) to change their PCP within Illinois Health Connect. Those not in Cook County should call 1-877-912-1999 (Illinois Health Connect) to enroll in Illinois Health Connect and to change PCPs, if necessary.

When eligible Medicaid patients have chosen a PCP during the voluntary phase, or have chosen a PCP in Harmony and/or Family Health Network, will that PCP choice be listed for them in the enrollment packets that the state will be sending out during the mandatory phase? 

No, they will receive the same enrollment packets as everyone one else, which has a blank space for patients to choose their PCP.

Are midwives, who have recognized HFS pin #'s, and who presently serve/bill as providers, considered "direct access"? Or do all midwives, regardless of the aforementioned qualifiers, need referrals from a patient's PCP in order to render services?

All Ob/GYN services are direct access, including those provided by a Midwife – no referral is necessary.  

If a patient, who is incapacitated, becomes eligible for Medicaid while incapacitated, who will be allowed to select his/her health plan/PCP?

The case remains in the adult’s name, but they will either have a legal guardian or simply a responsible person representing them. This person receives their mail, signs the application and takes care of renewals, so they would also make PCP decisions. If there is no legal guardian and an applicant is unable to sign the application for physical or mental reasons, death, or age, a responsible person may represent them and sign.

Specific policies are stated below:

For Cash or Medical, a person applying for someone who is incompetent, incapacitated, deceased, or too young to apply for themselves does not have to be an approved representative. They are acting responsibly for the person and do not need written permission.

The legal guardian must sign if the applicant has one. If there's more than one guardian, the "guardian of the person" decides which guardian will sign. When the client has a "limited" or "temporary" guardian, the client should sign the application. The "limited" or "temporary" guardian may sign the application as an interested party acting on the client's behalf.

Will ambulatory surgeries require a referral?

As previously stated, all outpatient hospital services are direct access. Ambulatory surgical treatment centers are treated like hospitals for Illinois Health Connect enrollees.

Will IMD patients be included in the Illinois Health Connect program?

No.

Whose responsibility is it to ensure that medical records are transferred, if a patient switches MCOs and/or PCPs?

PCPs in Illinois Health Connect are required to transfer an enrollee’s medical record to the new PCP when requested by the new PCP and authorized by the enrollee. This program does not change any laws or rules regarding medical records currently in place. 

What "home" and/or "mobile" medical services will the state consider "direct access"?

Home health care is a direct access service. The determination for mobile vans or vehicles (e.g., asthma van and mammography vans) to be considered direct access will be made by the Department on a case-by-case basis.

What school-based clinics have enrolled in Illinois Health Connect?

Enrollment of providers is ongoing and the Department does not want to release a list yet. AHS (1-877-912-1999) can answer questions about the enrollment status of specific providers.

Can you define what is meant by the phrase "community based services [rendered] to persons with developmental disabilities,” and how this population will/will not be affected by IHC?

Participants in a home and community based waiver are excluded from Illinois Health Connect. For more information on these waiver programs, visit the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services website.

Will primary care providers (PCPs) need to make appointments on behalf of their patients to see a specialist?

PCPs do not have to schedule the appointment for the referrals they make. Facilities registered during the voluntary phase were given provider manuals that contained language implying that PCPs would need to make appointments on behalf of their patients to see a specialist. The same language was used in draft versions of the provider handbooks, which were recently sent to a select group of providers. AHS is aware of the mistake, and is in the process of correcting the language for the mandatory phase.

What are all the recognized "outpatient services," which do not require a referral?

The term “outpatient services” refers to hospital services provided on an outpatient basis.  All hospital services are direct access including inpatient, outpatient and emergency department – none of which require a referral.

What will the provider database look like? And, who will have access to it?

The database will be posted online for Illinois Health Connect eligible patients to search/browse. Patients will be able to search for providers by location, name of provider, and or specialty type. The general public will be able to search the database as well. However, they will have “read only” capabilities. The database will only show providers that are enrolled as PCPs either in Illinois Health Connect, Harmony or Family health network on the Client Enrollment broker Web site and only Illinois Health Connect PCPs on the Illinois Health Connect Web Site. It will not include all enrolled Medicaid Providers. Eligible Medicaid clients can call the Help Line and obtain additional information about other Medicaid physicians and specialists not listed on the Web sites.

What additional features will providers be able to access on the MEDI system?

The MEDI system is the HFS eligibility system that providers currently use to verify client eligibility for the HFS Medical Assistance program. MEDI will contain the name of the PCP for each Illinois Health Connect enrollee.

AHS will allow providers access to a secure Illinois Health Connect website that contains individual provider panel rosters that will include EPSDT and adult preventive services history and due dates. Providers will also have access to paid claims history for all Illinois Health Connect patients enrolled with them, and access to the referral system to log new and check on existing referrals. 

Will patients placed under 23-hour observation require a referral for said service?                                                                     

All hospital services are direct access, including hospital observation.

Will a newborn up to 91 days be able to access all medical services, including services from specialists without referrals? 

Yes.

How will the Illinois Health Program impact the SASS/SASSAR programs?

Basically, the only way SASS is impacted is in the case of psychiatrists, because the hospital services and the community mental health services a SASS client might access are all considered direct access. The Department is presently weighing options about making psychiatrist services direct access or at the very least establishing a ‘work-around’ for specific situations.

Important Links

Illinois Health Connect

Illinois Nurse Helpline
If you do not know if you have an emergency and cannot reach your primary care provider, you can call the Illinois Nurse Helpline to talk to a nurse after regular work hours or on the weekend. This call is free.

Transportation Services 
Call to get approval for medical transportation when it is not an emergency. This call is free.

Dental Services
Call for help finding a dentist, or to find out if a dental service is covered. This call is free.

 

Helpful Organizations
The following organizations may be able to help you with foreclosure

Organizations 1 of 8 |

1.

Prairie State Legal Services, Inc. - Kankakee Office 191 South Chicago Kankakee, IL 60901 | View map Phone: 815-935-2750 TTY: 815-935-2764 Toll-free: 800-346-2864 Languages: English View Website

Prairie State Legal Services, Inc. provides free legal services in civil legal matters for low-income persons who have incomes below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines and senior citizens age 60 and older regardless of income. Eligibility Whether you are eligible for help from Prairie State Legal Services depends on the following factors: You meet our income and asset guidelines, or are age 60 or older. We have no ethical conflict of interest regarding your legal issue. You live within the service area of Prairie State, or have a civil legal problem in one of the counties in our service area. You meet the citizenship or immigration requirements established by Congress. It should be noted that immigrants who are fleeing domestic violence or trafficking are eligible for legal help regardless of immigration status in matters to address the abuse. Government regulations do not prohibit Prairie State Legal Services from handling your type of legal problem. You have one or more legal problems that can be addressed by PSLS attorneys and that fall within our established priorities. Types of Legal Help Due to high demand for our services, our staff is able to provide representation in certain areas of civil law designated as a priority. The following kinds of problems are illustrative of the cases that we may be able to help with (not an exclusive list): High Priority Cases Family Law: Protection from abuse or exploitation of domestic violence victims, elderly, children and persons w/disabilities; divorce and related relief for domestic violence victims. Housing Law: Evictions and lock-outs; foreclosure defense; loss or denial of subsidized housing benefits; loss or denial of essential public utilities; substandard housing conditions cases that cannot be addressed by other agencies. Health Care: Loss or denial of medical or nursing home care; loss or denial of medical benefits (Medicaid, Medicare). Needs-based government assistance: Loss or denial of SSI, GA, TANF, VA, food stamps. Other income benefits where alternative representation is unavailable: Loss or denial of unemployment insurance, Social Security Title II benefits. Other Cases We May Handle Family Law: Child support, custody, guardianship, visitation, parental rights, divorces for non-domestic violence victims. Housing: Rent issues; security deposits; unit size; discrimination. Education: admission, expulsion, special education & related services. Health care and people with disabilities: powers of attorney and other health care documents; discrimination and reasonable accommodations. Income or benefits: overpayments of government assistance; health insurance matters; employment issues. Consumer Law: Bankruptcy or other debt relief; consumer fraud; protection of exempt income and assets; unfair debt collection practices; repossession; contract defenses.   View current federal poverty levels

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