Durbin Visits UW Health Women And Children's Hospital To Highlight $1 Million Earmark For NICU
ROCKFORD — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited UW Health Women and Children’s Hospital to tour their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). As part of the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus bill, Durbin secured a $1 million earmark to expand the NICU and increase available maternal and infant health services in Rockford.
The NICU operated by UW Health is the only NICU in Winnebago County that provides services to all Medicaid patients. With the earmark secured by Durbin, the hospital estimates it will be able to serve up to 291 new patients and add between 19 and 27 new full-time employees.
“Three hundred thousand Illinoisans depend on Medicaid in Winnebago County,” said Durbin. “When families in the region need accessible and affordable neonatal intensive care, they turn to UW Health. I was thrilled to secure this $1 million earmark to expand the maternal and infant health services for the Rockford community and I’ll continue to fight to protect Medicaid coverage.”
More than 40 percent of UW Health’s hospitalized patients are covered by Medicaid. Should Republicans’ budget proposal become law, it is estimated that 56,000 Illinoisans in Winnebago County would lose their Medicaid coverage.
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