April 22--The Illinois Hospital Association said Wednesday it plans to merge with the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, a hospital advocacy group.
The two groups' memberships largely overlap. The merger will combine advocacy efforts at community, state and national levels, officials said. The new organization -- yet to be named -- will have about 200 members.
"We're both deeply committed to service of hospitals and health systems in Illinois," said Illinois Hospital Association President and CEO Maryjane Wurth. "We come from a similar mission. ... We both have advocacy agendas. They focus on city and local, we're state and federal. We have an array of business solutions that are complementary."
The Illinois Hospital Association has offices in Naperville, Springfield and Washington, D.C. It has opposed Gov. Bruce Rauner's planned $1.47 billion cut to Medicaid, which would include a $735 million reduction in hospital reimbursements. The Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council started the health care co-op Land of Lincoln in 2013 with $160 million in federal aid.
Dan Yunker, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, said the combined organization will be able to provide more tools to help hospitals cope with the rapidly changing health care climate.
Yunker said he plans to continue in leadership with Wurth.
"We both have aspirations to lead this new opportunity," Yunker said. "It will be a matter of making sure the right talent is aligned with right areas of opportunity."
The merger is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
ehirst@tribpub.com
