Healthcare Resources

As this current presidential administration continues to attack the healthcare in our most vulnerable communities, we must come together to look out for our neighbors and ensure that our health always remains a priority.

This page was created to provide information regarding public health and disability rights laws and resources for our constituents and any individual who may receive healthcare in Illinois. In response to the continued war on public health information, and the spreading of misinformation about disabilities, life-saving medicine, and other health resources, we wanted to provide a space to communicate changes and updates on healthcare programs federally, in Illinois, and in the Chicagoland area. We will continue to keep this page updated as new resources and information become available. If you have any information or resources you would like to share with us and your neighbors, please email us at info@repcassidy.com.

Just Security created a Litigation Tracker, where you can track legal challenges against the Trump Administration.

Legislative Updates Under the Trump Administration

Update Regarding Affordable Healthcare Under the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" Act (H.R. 1) and the Trump Administration

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) or H.R. 1 into law. This bill cuts over 1 trillion dollars in health programs, making it the largest rollback in medical support in American history. The bill accelerates the timeline in which the Medicare trust fund will become bankrupt, and cuts nearly $500 billion in funding from Medicaid between 2026 and 2034.

In addition to cuts in Medicaid funding, H.R. 1 also affects:

Work requirements: Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) will need to meet new work or training requirements to keep their Medicaid coverage.
More frequent eligibility checks: States will need to verify eligibility for Medicaid more often, which historically leads to coverage losses even among those who remain eligible.
Immigration restrictions: Certain groups of lawfully present immigrants will lose Medicaid eligibility.
Reduced state funding options: The law restricts the use of “provider taxes” by states to generate additional money for their Medicaid programs.

Before H.R. 1, lawfully present non-citizens could qualify for Medicare by meeting work history requirements or, if they lacked the required work credits, by meeting length of residency requirements. Now, only the following groups can newly enroll in Medicare:

U.S. citizens,
Lawful permanent residents (green card holders),
Cuban and Haitian Entrants
individuals from certain Pacific Island nations with special agreements with the U.S. (“COFA” migrants).

This eliminates Medicare eligibility for all other lawfully present immigrants, regardless of how long they have worked and paid into the system, including:

Refugees and people granted asylum,
People with Temporary Protected Status,
Survivors of human trafficking,
Survivors of domestic violence
Individuals granted humanitarian parole.

Under H.R. 1, over 10 million Americans will likely lose Medicaid coverage.

Status of the Affordable Care Act (ACA/Obamacare) under the Trump Administration

The Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare) strengthened Medicare, expanded Medicaid, and provided greater access to healthcare coverage for millions of Americans. The ACA eliminated annual and lifetime limits on care and ensures people with pre-existing conditions are not denied coverage.

The Trump Administration has taken several measures to limit ACA provisions in an attempt to eliminate the act altogether. H.R. 1 established federal work reporting requirements for people enrolled in Medicaid that will go into effect at the end of 2026. Most people with Medicaid already work or qualify for an exemption to this rule, but the requirement to prove work status may cause backlog and unclear information sharing that will lead to a loss of coverage. This rule would set up new barriers to enrollment in the marketplace setting and allow coverage denials for people who owe premiums or seek gender-affirming care.

Click here for access to the Illinois healthcare marketplace to learn more about how to stay on top of your healthcare coverage.

Illinois State Healthcare and Public Health Legislative Updates

The Illinois Department of Public Health releases a yearly update with laws going into effect at the state level that will directly impact the public health of the people of Illinois. Their 2026 list includes laws taking effect from January all the way to September ranging from a wide variety of topics including infectious disease control, mental health services, and access to reproductive care.

Representative Cassidy takes great pride in being a champion of increased healthcare access. She is the chief co-sponsor of many bills related to public health and healthcare initiatives in the 104th General Assembly, including:

HB2589: This bill makes clear that when someone has a prescription for an injectable medication, pharmacists must allow the patient to purchase the needles required to access their medication. This bill has been signed into law.

HB3711: This bill creates procedures and accountability measures for medical professionals and facilities that abuse patients. This bill passed both chambers and heads to the governor’s desk.

HB4834: This bill will purge records of testosterone prescriptions from the Prescription Monitoring Program and will prohibit inclusion of medications used in abortion or gender affirming care if the federal government adds them to the list of scheduled drugs. This bill passed both chambers and heads to the governor’s desk.

SB3213: This bill is the companion bill to HB5046 that intends to address at least some of the challenges faced by chronic pain patients and others who depend on medications that face shortages by easing the process for transferring prescriptions between pharmacies and making it easier to determine whether a particular drug is in stock. This bill passed both chambers and heads to the governor’s desk.

SB3506: This bill is the companion bill to HB5052 and updates the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act (SASETA) passed last year. This year's bill aims to address a shortage in Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, or SANEs, who have specialized forensic training to support survivors of sexual assault and abuse. This bill allows for SANEs in training to be supervised by a registered SANE via telehealth while gaining the requisite clinical hours needed for final certification. This bill passed both chambers and heads to the governor's desk.

Missing or Altered Information on Federal Government Websites and Databases

Since the beginning of the second Trump Administration in January of 2025, there has been a marked increase in reported instances of federal health websites and resources disappearing without notice, and then reappearing at a later time with altered or missing information. Medical organizations, researchers, physicians, nurses, and other public-health advocates have warned that these actions reduce transparency and increase the spread of misinformation concerning public health initiatives.

Federal agencies, particularly the CDC and FDA, have had multiple reported instances of removing or blocking access to information including:

LGBTQ+ health resources
Minority-health data
Reproductive health resources
Infectious disease tracking datasets
Vaccine safety research

In some cases, webpages have disappeared entirely. In others, they have been restored with altered language or missing figures.

Reporting conducted by NPR in the first few months of the second Trump Administration in 2025 focused on the CDC’s removal and alteration of several public-health datasets and webpages focused on LGBTQ+ health, reproductive health resources, and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System datasets. Healthcare professionals repeatedly reported archival links no longer working, disappearing datasets, and pages restored with altered language and missing information.

A lawsuit brought against the Trump Administration in May of 2025 by nine Washington-based public health organizations, including the Washington State Nurses Association cites the removal of public health resources from federal government webpages as being detrimental for healthcare services and research. These organizations argue that clinicians rely on government information for patient care, researchers use datasets for analysis, and the people have a right to view information from taxpayer-funded databases, resulting in politically motivated and unlawful removals and alterations. A settlement was reached in September of 2025, when a federal judge ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to restore over 100 websites and resources on a range of topics including pregnancy risks, opioid-use disorder, and the AIDS epidemic, to the state they were in before they were altered or taken down. The war on public health misinformation continues, and we will keep winning the fight.

In early 2026, the New York Times reported that federal officials blocked the publication of several vaccine studies conducted by the FDA, specifically concerning the COVID-19 vaccine and the Shingles vaccine Shingrix. Research from these studies concluded that the vaccines were generally safe for public use and serious adverse effects were rare.

Healthcare Aid Resource Guide

The State of Illinois and City of Chicago are full of countless resources and opportunities to improve access to quality healthcare and public aid programs in areas such as mental health services, addiction counseling, disability advocacy, vaccination information, and more.

Chicago Department of Public Health- The Chicago Department of Public Health is the city’s primary health agency, focused on disease prevention, health-equity, and the spread of healthcare resources through direct programming and information campaigns.

Illinois Department of Public Health- The Illinois Department of Public Health is the primary health agency for the state of Illinois. They focus on disease prevention and control, regulation and licensing, maintaining vital records, coordinating emergency responses, and conducting health screenings and testings.

Healthcare Referrals, Providers, and Clinics

Asian Human Services - Asian Human Services (AHS) provides services in over 28 languages to low-income Asian-American and immigrant and refugee communities in metropolitan Chicago. AHS oﬀers healthcare, education and employment services to children, adolescents, adults, families and senior citizens.

Catholic Charities - Catholic Charities provides a wide variety of health care services from routine medical screenings and vision exams to mental health care and HIV testing.

Illinois Department of Insurance- The Illinois Department of Insurance regulates the state's insurance industry, licenses agents, and protects consumers by enforcing state insurance laws. They operate the Office of Consumer Health Insurance (OCHI) to help residents navigate appeals, understand policyholder rights, and utilize the Illinois ACA marketplace.

Hamdard Health Alliance - Hamdard Center for Health and Human services is a not-for-proﬁt health and social service agency. Their services include primary care, behavioral health, domestic violence, elderly services, partner abuse intervention, case management, health insurance enrollment, education and community outreach.

Oak Street Health - Oak Street Health provides healthcare clinics for Medicare eligible beneficiaries. They provide primary care doctors and help navigate Medicare benefits.

Tapestry 360 Health - Tapestry 360 Health is a community health center that provides primary care services to people of all ages.

Medicare and Medicaid Application Process

Americans over the age of 65 or with qualifying disabilities are entitled to enrollment in Medicare. Visit medicare.gov to learn more about enrollment periods and timelines.

The Illinois Health Coverage website connects Illinois residents with access to Medicaid applications and other resources for reduced cost and government assisted healthcare plans. They are the leading provider in low-cost health insurance quotes in the state.

Legal Services

Access Living - Access Living provides legal services and connections to resources for persons with disabilities and others at high risk of discrimination. Access Living has a Civil Rights Intake division that serves as a pro-bono firm for disability discrimination cases, consulting and analysis, ADA and Fair Housing Act training, and fair housing tests. Contact CivilRightsIntake@accessliving.org for more information.

Brave Space Alliance - Brave Space Alliance (BSA) is an LGBTQ+ focused community center on Chicago's South Side that provides access to services such as support groups, low-cost housing, food pantries, and career search assistance.

CDPH Healthcare Access Guide - The Chicago Department of Public Health has a healthcare access guide with information on Safety Net Providers and Federally Qualified Health Centers based in the Chicago Area as well as low-cost healthcare coverage information.

Disability Lead - Disability Lead is a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower and unite people with disabilities and promote access to legal counsel, workers rights, and housing access.

Disability Public and Community Aid

Transportation

The Pace paratransit reservation line can be used to book Pace bus pickups and dropoffs in advance.

The RTA ride free program allows seniors, Medicare recipients, and people with disabilities to apply for and receive free or reduced cost transit access. Applying for the ride free program requires enrollment in the Illinois Department on Aging Benefit Access Program to determine eligibility and receive a Benefit Access ID number for the ride free application.

The Chicago Transit Authority lists all ADA accessible CTA Stations for those with disabilities. It also lists alerts when elevator service is down. Note that all CTA buses are equipped with lifts and ramps for those who have trouble with steps. CTA trains also have accessible seating for those with disabilities and open space for wheelchair users.

Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD)

The Chicago Mayor’s office houses the MOPD (Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities). This program aims to make Chicago the most accessible city in the world by ensuring and protecting the rights of the disability community. It offers programs in

Housing and Home Modification (aimed at enhancing conditions and accessibility for the disabled community).
Career Center (to help those with disabilities to find and keep meaningful employment)
Accessibility Requests (American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, Real Time Captioning, Assistive Listening Devices, materials available in alternate format upon request, wheelchairs available for use at City Hall)

Community Programs and Services

Adapt of Illinois - Adapt of Illinois provides intensive services for seniors residing in nursing home environments including skills building, medication training and monitoring, case management, illness management and recovery, crisis services, and individual and group therapy.

Anixter Center - The Anixter Center provides services and support for people with disabilities and related challenges to live, learn, work and play in the community.

Devices 4 the Disabled - Devices 4 the Disabled (D4D) provides pickup, refurbishing, and delivery of durable medical equipment to those in need.

Friedman Place - Friedman Place is a non-proﬁt Supportive Living Community for blind and visually impaired adults in Chicago. A full range of services and activities is provided so that residents’ days are healthy, digniﬁed, and stimulating. Guide dogs are welcome.

Mercy Housing - Mercy Housing creates stable, vibrant, and healthy communities by developing, ﬁnancing, and operating aﬀordable, program-enriched housing for families, seniors, and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access quality, safe housing opportunities.

Mental Health Support

Center on Halsted - For more than 30 years, Center on Halsted has helped Chicago's LGBTQ community and caring allies meet their behavioral health needs. They offer a number of diﬀerent services and opportunities for community members, including Behavioral Health Therapy, Therapy Groups, Therapy for Survivors of Violence, and Letters of Support for Gender Aﬃrming Surgeries.

Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) - C4 helps individuals and families who are struggling with mental illness, emotional trauma, substance abuse and the aftermath of sexual assault. Most services are oﬀered bilingual in Spanish, and they accept Medicaid.

The Family Institute - The Family Institute at Northwestern University is one of the nation's leading relationship-based behavioral health organizations.

Heartland Alliance - Heartland Alliance works in communities in the

U.S. and abroad to serve those who are homeless, living in poverty, or seeking safety. HAH’s mental health services include counseling for individuals and groups, addiction services, trauma and post-trauma counseling, and in-network provider referrals.

Jewish Child & Family Services - Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS) provides a comprehensive network of therapy and support services for issues such as parenting, depression, trauma, grief, and stress.

Swedish Covenant Hospital - Swedish Covenant Hospital serves the physical and psychological needs of communities in the Chicago area.

Thresholds Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center- Thresholds provides healthcare, housing, and hope for thousands of persons with mental illnesses in Illinois each year. Services include assertive outreach, case management, housing, employment, education, psychiatry, primary care, substance use treatment, and research.

Addiction Services and Overdose Response

SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) or dial 988-The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s helpline is available 24/7, 365 days a year in both English and Spanish. It provides referrals to treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Gateway Foundation - Gateway is a national addiction services provider that is licensed and accredited by the State of Illinois. They have 16 convenient drug and alcohol treatment centers across the state. They use individualized inpatient and outpatient programming to treat the communities they serve.

Trilogy - Trilogy, Inc., is a private not-for-proﬁt behavioral healthcare organization serving people with behavioral health needs in the City of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. They offer services including primary care, psychiatry, individual therapy, group therapy, supported employment, substance abuse treatment, and intensive case management services.

Trilogy's Mobile Crisis Team provides 24/7, 365 day a year on-demand mental health services to many of Chicago's neighborhoods. They resolve 92% of all crises they encounter without police or EMS involvement. If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis in Evanston, Rogers Park, Lincoln Square, West Ridge, Uptown, Jefferson Park, Skokie, and Edgebrook/Sauganash, call the hotline at (800)-322-8400.

Vaccination FAQs

Where can I get a vaccine near me?

Local drugstores such as Walgreens and CVS offer many types of vaccinations, including COVID-19, Flu, HPV, MMR, the Shingles vaccine, and more at little to no cost with most insurances. Use the Walgreens and CVS store locators to find the location closest to you.

I have private insurance, what vaccines are covered under my plan?

I am uninsured. Where can my dependents and myself receive vaccinations?

The Chicago Department of Public Health has many no-cost vaccine clinics for uninsured individuals and their families. The closest clinic to the 14th District is located in Uptown at the Uptown West Wilson Avenue Health Hub at 845 W. Wilson Ave., 2nd level. Visit the CDPH website for more clinic information including hours and vaccination schedules.

The CDC's Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines at no cost to eligible children through health care providers enrolled in the program.

If you do not currently have health insurance, visit www.HealthCare.gov to learn more about affordable health coverage options.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a comprehensive guide to vaccinations available based on insurance status as well as options for uninsured individuals.

For privately insured individuals, all Health Insurance Marketplace plans and most other private insurance plans must cover certain vaccines without charging a copayment or coinsurance when provided by an in-network provider. This is true even for patients who have not met a yearly deductible. Doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations for vaccinations vary. The following vaccines are usually covered by health insurance, but patients should follow up with their insurance companies for details:

COVID-19
Haemophilus influenzae Type B
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Herpes Zoster
Human Papillomavirus
Influenza
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Meningococcal
Pneumococcal
RSV
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis
Varicella

Which vaccines are covered under Medicare Part B plans?

Medicare Part B plans will cover the following vaccines:

COVID-19 vaccines
Hepatitis B vaccines for persons at increased risk of hepatitis
Influenza (flu) vaccines
Pneumococcal vaccines
Vaccines directly related to the treatment of an injury or direct exposure to a disease or condition, such as rabies and tetanus

Will Medicare Part D Supplemental plans or Medicaid cover additional vaccines?

Yes, Medicare Part D plans make all adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) (except those covered by Part B) available at no cost, including:

RSV
Zoster (shingles) vaccine

Even if a particular drug plan's formulary doesn't list all Part D vaccines, it must provide access when a physician prescribes a Part D vaccine.

In addition, most adults with coverage from Medicaid and CHIP will be guaranteed coverage of all vaccines recommended by the ACIP at no cost to them.

I am in the military or am a dependent of a servicemember. What does vaccine access look like for me?

If you serve in the military or are a military dependent, you are eligible for TRICARE. Under TRICARE, vaccines are covered according to the CDC recommended schedule.

HIV/AIDS Testing Locations

The HIVHUB is a collaboration between the AIDS Foundation Chicago and Center on Halsted to provide up-to-date services in LGBTQ+ healthcare for those living with or vulnerable to HIV or those looking for LGBTQ+ related health care.

In addition to the HUB, HIV testing services can be found at the following locations in and around the district:

Center on Halsted - Center on Halsted oﬀers free rapid HIV testing. A trained Health Educator will administer your test and is able to refer you to other social service and medical agencies. Appointments are strongly preferred. The Center is only able to see walk-in clients on a limited basis.

Chicago Women’s AIDS Project - The Chicago Women’s AIDS Project (CWAP) oﬀers free HIV/HCV testing by appointment. CWAP also provides prevention education, advocacy and support for women at risk or living with HIV, including a support group located at the Edgewater Presbyterian Church. Email cwapns@ameritech.net for more information.

Chicago Women’s Health Center - Chicago Women’s Health Center offers services including gynecology, primary care, counseling, trans health care, alternative insemination, acupuncture, and massage and bodywork.

Howard & Evanston Community Center - The Howard & Evanston Community Center offers free HIV testing and health referrals, in addition to a low-cost dental clinic.

Howard Brown Health - Howard Brown oﬀers HIV/AIDS testing services, in addition to specialized primary care health services to all families and individuals and referrals for mental health services. They exist to eliminate the disparities in healthcare experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through research, education and the provision of services that promote health and wellness.

Vivent Health + TPAN - Vivent Health + TPAN oﬀers free and conﬁdential rapid HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) testing on a walk-in basis at their oﬃce and outreach in the community via a mobile testing unit. They also oﬀer support and care to those living with HIV, as well as education and prevention services.

Healthcare and Disability Know Your Rights Resources

Given the actions the Trump administration has taken to strip immigrants–especially those with disabilities–of their rights, it may be useful to carry Know Your Rights cards that can be easily distributed in case of an emergency or rights violations.

The City of Chicago also offers know your rights resources targeted for immigrants, migrants, and refugees seeking healthcare around the state.

The National Immigration Law Center provides guidance and explainers for DACA recipients seeking healthcare and insurance coverage.

Patients seeking treatment at Illinois facilities are entitled to a substantial number of rights, protections, and privileges. OSF Healthcare of Peoria, Illinois has put together a comprehensive list and explanation of Illinois patient and visitor rights.