(a) In Illinois, as well as in other parts of the United States, chronic diseases are a significant health and economic problem for our citizens and State government. Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis are largely preventable non-communicable conditions associated with risk factors such as poor nutrition, physical inactivity, tobacco or alcohol abuse, as well as other social determinants of chronic illness. It is fully documented by national and State data that significant disparity exists between racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and that the incidence and impact of many of these conditions disproportionately affect these populations.
     Chronic diseases can take away a person’s quality of life or his or her ability to work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 7 out of 10 Americans who die each year, or more than 1.7 million people, die of a chronic disease. In Illinois, studies have indicated that during the study period the State has spent more than $12.5 billion in health care dollars to treat chronic diseases in our State. The financial burden for Illinois from the impact of lost work days and lower employee productivity during the same time period related to chronic diseases resulted in an annual economic loss of $43.6 billion. These same studies have concluded that improvements in preventing and managing chronic diseases could drastically reduce future costs associated with chronic disease in Illinois and that the most effective way to trim healthcare spending in Illinois and across the U.S. is to take measures aimed at preventing diseases before we have to treat them. Furthermore, by addressing health disparities and by targeting chronic disease prevention and health promotion services toward the highest risk groups, especially in communities where racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors indicate high rates of these diseases, the goals of improving the overall health status for all Illinois residents can be achieved. Health promotion and prevention programs and activities are scattered throughout a number of State agencies with various streams of funding and little coordination. While the State has been looking at making significant changes to healthcare coverage for a portion of the population, in order to have the most effective impact, any changes to the healthcare delivery system in Illinois should take into consideration and integrate the role of prevention and health promotion in that system.
     (b) Subject to appropriation, a Task Force on Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion shall be convened to study and make recommendations regarding the structure of the chronic disease prevention and health promotion system in Illinois, as well as changes that should be made to the system in order to integrate and coordinate efforts in the State and ensure continuity and consistency of purpose and the elimination of disparity in the delivery of this care in Illinois.
     (c) The Department of Public Health shall have primary responsibility for, and shall provide staffing and technical and administrative support for, the Task Force in its efforts. The other State agencies represented on the Task Force shall work cooperatively with the Department of Public Health to provide administrative and technical support to the Task Force in its efforts. Membership of the Task Force shall consist of 19 members as follows: the Public Health Advocate, appointed by the Governor; the Director of Public Health, who shall serve as Chair; the Secretary of Human Services or his or her designee; the Director of Aging or his or her designee; the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his or her designee; 4 members of the General Assembly, one from the State Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one from the State Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one from the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, and one from the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House; and 10 members appointed by the Director of Public Health and who shall be representative of State associations and advocacy organizations with a primary focus that includes chronic disease prevention, public health delivery, medicine, health care and disease management, or community health.
     (d) The Task Force shall seek input from interested parties and shall hold a minimum of 3 public hearings across the State, including one in northern Illinois, one in central Illinois, and one in southern Illinois.
     (e) On or before December 31, 2010, the Task Force shall, at a minimum, make recommendations to the General Assembly and the Director of Public Health on the following: reforming the delivery system for chronic disease prevention and health promotion in Illinois; ensuring adequate funding for infrastructure and delivery of programs; addressing health disparity; and the role of health promotion and chronic disease prevention in support of State spending on health care.