‘You have lives impacted across Illinois': State employees to lose Heath Alliance coverage over the summer
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Thousands of people across the state will be losing their insurance carrier later this year, and now WCIA is learning more about when the Health Alliance coverage will be going away for certain employees.
A spokesperson for Carle Health confirmed state employees will lose coverage over the summer since the contract ends on June 30th. But, she said this isn't atypical as the calendar runs July 1 through June 30 for many.
Several employees in Central Illinois use Health Alliance, such as 7,000 people at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and many others in some school districts including Champaign and Mahomet-Seymour.
Health Alliance discontinuing plans at year's end; Medicare Advantage to continue
Teachers in Mahomet have mixed emotions about the news. One said she 'trusts the district to make the right move' when it comes to finding another program. The other said she is still in shock and is worried about other companies covering the medicine she takes daily.
Lawmakers like Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) know it's a tricky situation to navigate.
'The first thing we have to do is make sure there are options and choices in open enrollment in May. People have to have a place to go and a place to go that includes their current provider,' he said. 'I do not want to go through one of these rounds where I have husbands calling me because their wife's in chemotherapy treatment and nobody knows if they're gonna be able to stay with their oncologist.'
Insurance expert breaks down implications of Health Alliance's discontinued services
Sen. Rose, and several others, want to know what insurance options people will have once May starts. Central Management Services (CMS) is the department that helps with insurance for state workers.
'Like so many others, CMS was not given advance notification of this decision by Health Alliance. State employees, retirees, and their dependents should know that the change in coverage is not immediate, and CMS is working diligently to make sure impacted individuals experience a smooth transition. CMS will communicate directly with impacted parties and ensure they are well informed of their options.'
Cynthia Johnson, Deputy Director
Carle Health said they are ready to help customers and provide resources to make sure it's a smooth transition to other providers. They said it was important to make sure people knew what was going on before open enrollment.
When Health Alliance closes, about 600 employees will lose their jobs. Carle Health will provide free training opportunities for employees to start new careers.
To learn more about when your plan may end, or with any other questions, visit this link for other background information.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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