• Health care is a human right.

Protect Our Care – Illinois is a statewide coalition of health care advocates, providers, and consumers joining together to protect and defend Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Protect Our Care – Illinois invites you to join Illinoisans across the state to defend access to quality affordable health care for all.

Sign your organization on to the coalition

Members

ACA Consumer Advocacy
Access Living
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American Heart Association
Center on Halsted
Champaign County Health Care Consumers
Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness
Children’s Place Association
CIR/SEIU
Citizen Action/Illinois
Committee to Protect Health Care
Community Organizing and Family Issues/POWER-PAC IL
Cook County Health and Hospital System
EverThrive Illinois
Forefront
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Health Care Council of Chicago (HC3)
Healthy and Medicine Policy Research Group
Healthy Illinois Campaign
ICAN!
IL Chapter NAPNAP
Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans
Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging
Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Illinois Collaboration on Youth
Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities
Illinois Partners for Human Services
Infrastructure Strategies
JCFS Chicago
Jewish United Fund
Legal Council for Health Justice
Mutual Ground, Inc
NAMI Chicago
NAMI Illinois
National Council of Jewish Women
New Moms
North Central Behavioral Health Systems
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Planned Parenthood of Illinois
Roseland Community Hospital
Shriver Center on Poverty Law
Start Early
Supportive Housing Providers Association (SHPA)
SVP Family and Community Services
TASC
The People’s Lobby
Thresholds

Go to Blog

Latest Posts

CNN: Republicans want to add work requirements to Medicaid. Even some recipients with jobs are concerned

Katrina Falkner knows what it’s like to be stuck in a Medicaid paperwork morass. The Chicago resident, who cares for her elderly father and other family members with disabilities, said she was disenrolled from the program in 2023 after the state Department of Human Services lost the paperwork that she had spent days organizing. The agency told her that it reinstated her, she said. But when she went to the hospital, Read More…

OUR STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF TRUMP’S “ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2025 CHICAGO, IL — Today, just before sunrise, the U.S. House passed Donald Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” — a dangerous and deeply unpopular reconciliation package that would rip health coverage away from millions, gut Medicaid, slash ACA support, and drive up healthcare costs across the board. Illinois Republicans Mary Miller (IL-15), Darin LaHood (IL-16), and Mike Bost (IL-12) voted for this disastrous legislation, Read More…

Why The ACA and Medicaid Matter To Me

“Medicaid has been a lifeline for me. I have heart failure and Medicaid has allowed me to be able to have my heart doctor and the medication I need. I don’t know where I’d be today if I didn’t have Medicaid.” – Kristina, Medicaid Member

Kristina from Alsip

I was unable to get adequate coverage — I was denied for a preexisting condition. I think I still may have my denial letters. I was able to finally obtain insurance when the ACA went into effect. At the time, I was starting a small business and trying to get myself insured in the individual market. I would NOT have been able to start my business without ACA.

Kelly from Chicago

This year will be my first year getting health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. I am excited to start my new health coverage insurance and start going to doctors.

Catalina from Chicago

I have had to maintain health insurance due to ongoing health issues. As long as I didn’t have a break in coverage, my pre-existing conditions were always covered. Coming off ICHIP coverage and being able to get health insurance through Marketplace was a financial blessing for me in 2014 and 2015.

Valerie from Chicago

Both my husband and I are entrepreneurs, and we both get our health insurance off the Marketplace. Before the ACA, he was able to get health insurance, but I was not because of a pre-existing condition. Without the Marketplace, one of us would have to give up our business in order to get insurance through an employer, so we are thankful that the ACA exists.

María from Des Plaines

My ACA plan was the first insurance I could purchase as an adult, outside of fulltime employment. Before the ACA, I had always been denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition — now I’m eligible.

Gretchen from Chicago