$1.5 billion spending plan designed to improve patient experience expand CountyCare

The Cook County Health & Hospitals System (CCH) Board today unanimously approved a $1.5 billion fiscal year 2015 preliminary budget. This budget allows CCH to maintain its mission as a safety net system while improving its financial stability in a competitive marketplace.

“The health system is making 2015 a year of serious intentionality. We intend to invest in clinical operations, our patients and our staff,” said Dr. John Jay Shannon, CCH Chief Executive Officer. “Our most ambitious goal is reducing the time it takes to see a doctor or clinician by making sure we have the right staff, with the right skills, in the right place at the right time.”

In an effort to more effectively and quickly serve patients, the budget prioritizes the development of a call center and centralized scheduling. CCH will continue to invest in capital equipment, ranging from new exam tables and wheelchairs to state-of-the art MRI technology and cardiac diagnostic labs.

CountyCare, a health plan run by CCH will expand to include families, seniors and people with disabilities. In FY15 the projected membership of these populations, along with Affordable Care Act-eligible adults, is 150,000. The overall projected revenue of CountyCare is $915 million.

“CountyCare has been a significant contributor to the financial health of CCH,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “It has allowed the health system to be less reliant on Cook County taxpayers, decreasing the county’s allocation to $164 million in FY15. I commend Dr. Shannon and his team for building CountyCare and ensuring that we continue to provide care to all County residents, regardless of their ability to pay.”

The 2015 budget will be submitted to the Cook County Board of Commissioners for final adoption.