IHA Daily Briefing: January 26

REMINDER: Participate in Gallagher's Compensation, Benefits Survey
IHA's new partnership with Gallagher Surveys offers Illinois hospitals and health systems reliable, comprehensive market data to help leaders make informed decisions about compensation and benefits.

Launching this month, the 2026 Illinois Regional Healthcare Compensation & Benefits can help IHA members facing today's competitive healthcare environment with accurate benchmarking essential to attracting and retaining top talent, while maintaining financial sustainability.

The 2026 survey will include compensation and benefits information for physicians and management and non-management positions. Gallagher's survey tools allow you to analyze trends, compare pay practices, and make informed decisions quickly and confidently.

With over 40 years in the field, Gallagher Surveys is a leading provider of compensation and benefits data in the United States. Click here to learn more about the survey, which is confidential, complies with U.S. Dept. of Justice guidelines, and is available at significantly reduced participation fees.

To receive a participation agreement, contact Gary Drain, Assistant Vice President, Human Capital Performance, at [email protected] or 630-276-5566.

Funding Opportunity: Improving Lactation Support & Medicaid Integration
The Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) in partnership with the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative, and with support from Illinois Dept. of Public Health, has released a new request for applications (RFA) for Illinois birthing hospitals and health systems interested in participating in a 12-month pilot to strengthen lactation support and improve continuity of care for breastfeeding families, particularly those enrolled in Medicaid.

This initiative will support hospitals in developing and implementing sustainable workflow and referral system improvements that integrate billing-eligible lactation support providers and doulas into care teams and care transitions. With recent expansions in Medicaid reimbursement for lactation and doula services, this pilot is designed to help hospitals operationalize these changes and strengthen continuity of care from prenatal through postpartum settings.

The selected hospitals will receive $15,000 per hospital site, with two to three sites selected. Award recipients will receive technical assistance and implementation support from IPHI; peer learning with other participating hospitals; support to develop and implement a one-year action plan; and opportunities to share lessons learned for broader statewide impact. Priority will be given to Illinois sites serving Medicaid populations, rural regions, maternity care deserts, and communities with lower breastfeeding rates. The full application can be found here.

Applications are due Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. CT and award recipients will be notified on March 2.

Complete applications should be submitted as one PDF via email to Norma Narsa at [email protected].

State Legislative Update
The Illinois House of Representatives took little formal action before adjourning last week. Legislators approved, along partisan lines, a handful of nonbinding resolutions on federal issues, including measures condemning ICE actions, federal funding cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies and day care, tariffs, and efforts to acquire foreign land. While no committees met last week, House lawmakers did meet in partisan caucuses. The House will not reconvene until Feb. 17-19, and the Senate will return to Springfield Feb. 3-5.

The Governor will deliver his combined State of the State and Budget Address to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday, Feb. 18. You are encouraged to attend IHA's State Legislative Reception in Springfield on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at Maldaner's, 222 S. 6th Street in Springfield, from 5-8 p.m. CT. To RSVP, please click here.

Illinois's 2026 Income Tax Season Begins Today
The Illinois Dept. of Revenue (IDOR) began accepting 2026 individual income tax returns today, Monday, Jan. 26-the same day the Internal Revenue Service opened the federal filing season. The deadline to file Illinois returns is Wednesday, April 15, 2026. During the 2025 filing season, IDOR received over 6.3 million individual income tax returns. About 5.75 million, or 91.3%, were filed electronically. Taxpayers who file accurate returns electronically and select direct deposit can typically receive their refunds in about four weeks. Click here for additional tax-related guidance and resources from IDOR.

Blood Centers Join Red Cross in Urging Donations Amid Shortage
The Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies, America's Blood Centers, and the American Red Cross issued a Jan. 23 joint statement stressing the need for blood donations amid an ongoing shortage driven by winter weather-related disruptions. "Winter storms can force the cancellation of blood drives, limit donor access, delay transportation of blood products and interrupt deliveries to hospitals, sometimes for days," the organizations said. "These weather-related disruptions are compounding other seasonal challenges, including a severe flu season that has impacted many regular donors." The statement follows a Jan. 20 American Red Cross announcement warning of a severe blood shortage driven by the nationwide flu outbreak and winter weather. The Red Cross said last week the national supply fell nearly 35% within the last month.

Illinois Respiratory Disease Surveillance Data