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The Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) proposal is being reintroduced to help invest in better nutrition and more physical education for schools as well as create healthier communities in Illinois.
The proposal was put into motion in Springfield, Ill, in May 2016, by the bipartisan group of state legislators looking to help fund Medicaid and invest in the health of their communities. Estimated to raise over six million dollars a year, the HEAL act would tax sugary drinks at a penny-per-ounce and go to support low-income and least healthy communities to have farmers markets, healthy food access, bike lanes, parks, and sidewalks.
CEO of the Illinois Public Health Institute and Executive Director of the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity said in a press release, “Obesity costs the Illinois healthcare system more than $6 billion a year, including more than $1 billion in Medicaid. With the massive funding gap caused by the impasse, this proposal can bring in new revenue to fund current Medicaid costs, while simultaneously investing in prevention to provide long-term healthcare savings.”
The bipartisan budget group is now sending their proposed budget to the Governor and Hous and Senate leaders for consideration as well as the HEAL proposal supported by 70 organizations.
To learn more, click here.
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By The Numbers
1
Supermarket
for every Latino neighborhood, compared to 3 for every non-Latino neighborhood
