Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to Fund Nonprofit Organizations Providing Housing to People Experiencing Homelessness in Illinois

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois announced today it will provide $12 million over five years to community organizations to help fund new permanent and temporary housing in Illinois. The effort is part of the insurer’s focus on housing to improve health outcomes.

According to a 2023 studyexternal link by the Becker Friedman Institute at the University of Chicago, non-elderly people who experienced homelessness have 3.5 times greater risk of mortality than those who are housed. BCBSIL data shows housing-insecure Medicaid members are admitted to emergency rooms twice as often as those who are housing secure which, in turn, yields greater medical costs.

“Social factors such as lack of access to housing, food and transportation — which are outside the scope of health care — can determine a person’s health and the costs of care they receive,” said Nancy Wohlhart, president of Medicaid at BCBSIL. “We’ve seen that housing can dramatically improve health outcomes and improve health equity, and that’s why we’re making this investment.”

This new investment underscores BCBSIL’s commitment to support community partners whose mission is to build a healthier Illinois. Housing insecurity aligns with the five focus areas of BCBSIL’s community investment strategy:

• Economic Opportunity and Stability: Addressing issues such as poverty, removing barriers to employment, providing good jobs and upskilling.
• Food Access and Nutrition: Supporting efforts to decrease hunger and increase access to nutritious food.
• Neighborhood and Built Environment: Focusing on affordable healthy housing, access to transportation, safe outdoor spaces, and access to physical activity.
• Locally Defined Health Solutions: Addressing hyperlocal health and human service needs, community collaborations that improve community wellbeing, interrupt violence, or build peaceful communities.
• Optimal Health Outcomes: Helping close gaps in care, specifically around six priority areas: immunizations, diabetes care, cardiovascular care, behavioral health, early detection cancer screening and maternal and infant health.