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How a Penny-a-Day Plan Invented Hospital Insurance
Dallas, 1929. Hospital bills were unpredictable, and one administrator floated a radical idea: pay roughly a penny a day and your hospital stay is covered. That tiny payment changed American healthcare—launching the blueprint for modern hospital insurance and, eventually, the Blue Cross movement.
Weiss Memorial Hospital Shuts Down, Leaving Uptown Without Key Care
Chicago’s Weiss Memorial Hospital, a long-standing fixture in the Uptown neighborhood since the early 1950s, is facing a major shutdown. As of August 2025, Medicare payments have been revoked due to safety violations and unresolved infrastructure issues—delivering a potentially crippling blow to the hospital and the community it serves.
Elkay Plumbing Products to Shut Down Savanna Factory
Elkay Plumbing Products announced the closure of its Savanna, Illinois factory in Spring 2025, cutting 135 jobs. The decision, driven by manufacturing consolidation and cost pressures, delivers a major economic blow to the small rural community and highlights broader trends in U.S. industrial restructuring.
Air Wisconsin Layoffs at O'Hare: Over 200 Airline Jobs Cut Amid Restructuring
In early 2025, Air Wisconsin laid off over 200 employees at Chicago O’Hare International Airport due to operational restructuring and changes in airline partnerships. The job cuts reflect broader industry challenges facing regional carriers amid shifting contracts, rising costs, and labor shortages.
McCormick Places Oak View Group Cuts Jobs After Losing Venue Contract
Oak View Group announced layoffs at McCormick Place in Chicago after losing its venue management contract in April 2025. The job cuts impacted event and hospitality staff, highlighting the risks tied to vendor transitions in the convention industry and their ripple effects on local economies.
Cleveland-Cliffs Announces Major Layoffs at Riverdale Steel Plant
Cleveland-Cliffs announced layoffs affecting 281 workers at its Riverdale, Illinois steel plant in May 2025. Citing declining steel demand and rising costs, the company is scaling back operations, deeply impacting the local economy and reflecting broader challenges in the U.S. steel industry.
Health Alliance Medical Plans Announces Layoffs and Closure in Illinois
Health Alliance Medical Plans, a major Illinois health insurer, is shutting down by early 2026, resulting in over 600 layoffs. Rising healthcare costs, operational challenges, and a strategic shift by parent company Carle Health led to the decision. Learn how this impacts employees, members, and the regional insurance market.
The Supreme Court, Medication Abortion, and the FDA
The Supreme Court is poised to make crucial decisions regarding medication abortion and the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These decisions have significant implications for women's health, regulatory power, and the availability of abortion services across the United States.
Medicaid Redeterminations and Their Impact on Insurers
As the process of Medicaid redeterminations begins, major players in the health insurance market are experiencing significant impacts. Companies like UnitedHealth, Centene, and others are adapting to these changes, which affect millions of Americans and the stability of the insurance market.
New Opportunities to Enroll in Health Coverage
With recent changes to enrollment periods, there are now more opportunities for individuals to enroll in health coverage, including Medicare. This expansion aims to make it easier for people to get the coverage they need, when they need it.
