Durbin Announces New Resources to Address Child Lead Poisoning Risks in Chicago

Durbin Announces New Resources to Address Child Lead Poisoning Risks in Chicago

CHICAGO - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined officials from CountyCare, Cook County Health, and the Cook County Department of Public Health to unveil new proactive measures taken by all five Medicaid managed care insurance companies (MCOs) in Illinois in response to a request by Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to address lead poisoning risks to children in Chicagoland.

In March, Durbin and Duckworth had urged MCOs to step up to address lead poisoning risks to children in Chicago by preemptively sending drinking water test kits, water filters, home visitors, and educational materials to all enrolled children in the city. As a result of these letters, CountyCare, the largest MCO in Cook County, agreed to the Senators' request and sent educational materials as well as a coupon redeemable at local Jewel-Osco grocery stores for a free water filter to nearly 90,000 families in Cook County. The other four MCOs made similar commitments, including providing grants to primary care providers for lead tests and to local community organizations to distribute free water filters to low-income families.

"Children continue to face the unacceptable risk of lead poisoning in the very place they call home," said Durbin. "I sent letters with Senator Duckworth to the five Medicaid insurance companies in Illinois, calling upon them to take new, proactive measures to address this dire health risk. I applaud CountyCare for being the first to step up and implement innovative strategies to prevent the threat of lead exposure for low-income children. Today's announced initiatives from all five insurance companies will support children's health and provide some peace of mind for parents as we continue to work towards replacing lead pipes in our community."

"We appreciate the leadership of Senator Durbin and Senator Duckworth in addressing the number one environmental hazard that is 100 percent preventable. Collaboration is key in tackling public health issues, and efforts like this are crucial in preventing such problems whenever possible. Let's continue working together to build healthier and safer communities," said LaMar Hasbrouck, MD, Chief Operating Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health.

"There is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Lead can cause serious and permanent health problems, including irreversible brain damage," said Dr. Erik Mikaitis, Interim CEO of Cook County Health, which includes CountyCare, the largest Medicaid Managed Care Plan serving residents of Cook County. "I am grateful to Senator Durbin and Senator Duckworth for their leadership on this issue. By creating these new outreach strategies, we are strengthening our collaborative, multi-faceted approach to prevent, mitigate and treat lead exposure and keep children safe."

Today's announcement comes during Children's Health Month and ahead of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. The Senators' letters to CountyCare, Aetna, BlueCross, Meridian, and Molina followed the finding earlier this year that 129,000 Chicago children-68 percent of those younger than age six-were potentially exposed to lead in their home drinking water, due to the presence of lead pipes-given that Chicago has the highest number of lead pipes of any city in the country.

Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for low-income individuals, has a comprehensive benefit for kids-requiring all covered children to receive lead screenings at ages one and two. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) states that there is a specific and presumptive risk of lead exposure for children on Medicaid. Further, if a child tests for an elevated blood lead level, states are required to provide diagnostic and treatment services.

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) to address lead in drinking water, which requires 100 percent lead pipe replacement in 10 years among other requirements to protect public health. In Illinois, the state reported more than one million lead service lines (LSLs), the most per capita in the nation, and replacing LSLs statewide is estimated to cost $11.6 billion. Illinois has received more than $578 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law earmarked for LSLs from EPA. The Natural Resources Defense Council found that Illinois will benefit the most from lead pipe remediation, with up to $89 billion in avoided health costs.

Earlier this year, Durbin reintroduced his Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act, a bill to require the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to update its lead poisoning prevention measures to reflect modern science and ensure that families and children living in federally assisted housing are protected from the devastating consequences of lead poisoning.