Crawford to Join National Medicaid Policy Conference in Washington (Chicago, IL) – State Rep. Mike Crawford, D-Chicago, will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to participate in a national Medicaid policy conference aimed at strengthening state-federal partnerships and addressing enrollment and coverage challenges in Illinois.
Crawford is one of just 30 state leaders selected nationwide to attend the Council of State Governments’ (CSG) Medicaid Leaders Development Program, which runs Oct. 6-8. The conference will include policy briefings, expert-led discussions and best practice sharing to help participants shape more effective Medicaid policies back home.
“Being one of 30 people from across the U.S. to be selected to meet and discuss Medicaid and how we can make it work better for our communities is such an honor,” Crawford said. “From the moment I was sworn in, I have been dedicated to improving stateside Medicaid policy for the more than 47,000 Medicaid participants in my community. This conference will help transform that dedication into a battle plan to substantively improve Medicaid coverage in Illinois.”
The CSG program is a two-year initiative designed to equip legislators with the skills and knowledge needed to craft comprehensive, fact-based policy. Crawford noted the urgency of the work in light of recent federal funding cuts.
“It’s no secret that Americans are facing a crisis in healthcare,” he said. “The recently passed ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ makes one trillion dollars in cuts to Medicaid. To make matters worse, some of the subsidies that make the care provided by the Affordable Care Act are now completely out of reach. These cuts and the abdication of their responsibility mean states like Illinois can and must get creative about filling these gaps.”
Crawford said he plans to bring lessons learned at the conference back to Springfield, where he hopes to help strengthen Medicaid coverage for families across Illinois.
Crawford to Join National Medicaid Policy Conference in Washington
