CHICAGO – Earlier this year, Trinity Health announced it would close Mercy Hospital and Medical Center by 2021, which has been widely opposed by community members, health care officials and many legislators – including State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago). Those opposed hosted a press conference Friday morning, and urged that Mercy stay open, even if the ownership must change.

“Closing Mercy Hospital due to financial costs, as has been the justification when other safety nets have been shuttered, is not a solution,” Hunter said. ”The financial issues faced in our health care system are multi-faceted, and will require a different approach. Re-evaluating nonprofits tax exempt status may be a part of that approach.”

CHICAGO – Diving further into racial disparities in the health care system, State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) held a hearing Monday to analyze the differences in access to health care, and is demanding that every Illinoisan have equal opportunities to quality and affordable health care.

“The time it takes to reach the hospital can determine whether someone lives or dies,” Hunter said. “Safety net hospitals are the only option some Black and Brown people have, yet they are extremely underfunded and continue to be closed down. This is a trend that must not continue, or many of our neighbors will end up at a grave inconvenience, or worse, dead.”

CHICAGO — The Senate Executive, Financial Institutions, Economic and Commerce Committees held a joint subject matter hearing on racial equity in lending and home ownership Thursday. State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago), who chairs the Executive Committee, called for equity in minority lending and ownership.

“Though discriminative practices, such as redlining, were outlawed by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, it is incredibly disheartening to see African Americans struggling from these same issues today,” Hunter said. “Large home ownership and lending gaps still exist and deprive Black Americans, and that needs to change.”

CHICAGO – As the global pandemic continues to reveal racial disparities in the health care system, State Senators Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) and Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) called for massive reforms as part of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus (ILBC)’s fourth pillar agenda.

“In order to truly fix the issues of health disparities amongst African Americans, it is important that we examine the root causes,” Hunter said. “For centuries, Black people have been disrespected, abused and misused in the name of health care. Though we cannot solve these issues overnight, we can start by addressing our afflictions piece by piece.”