Statewide campaign reflects shared vision and ultimate goal of increased healthcare coverage

CHICAGO - The state of Illinois today unveiled "Get Covered Illinois" as the official brand name for its new health insurance marketplace, where residents will be able to find quality coverage as mandated by the Federal Affordable Care Act. The name is both a call-to-action and a description of the service this marketplace expects to provide through web, phone and personal interactions with customers beginning October 1. The brand tagline reads: "The Official Health Marketplace."

"Illinois is launching the largest, most ambitious wellness initiative in our state's history, as well as launching a culture of coverage," said Deputy Governor Cristal Thomas, who serves as one of Illinois' top healthcare officials. "This will take a massive education effort, and it starts with 'Get Covered Illinois.' We wanted a name that was very clear about what this product has to offer."

As part of Governor Pat Quinn's agenda to increase access to healthcare coverage, Get Covered Illinois is the only official website marketplace where Illinois residents can compare eight different insurance company offerings side by side; determine whether they are eligible for Medicaid under newly expanded qualifications; and apply for financial support to help bring down the cost of insurance for them or their families.

The brand and logo were developed by advertising agency Downtown Partners, Chicago, and will be part of a statewide advertising campaign that will begin on October 1 and gradually build through the fall and winter. Uninsured Illinoisans have until the end of March to purchase health insurance through Get Covered Illinois.

"Get Covered Illinois grew out of the hundreds of conversations we had with citizens around the state," said Joe Stuart, Creative Director Partner, Downtown Partners, Chicago. "They wanted a straight-forward, clear approach to promoting the health marketplace, and wanted a strong visual component to the name. We wrapped the shape of the state of Illinois with a "C" to remind people of the marketplace mission - to spread a "Culture of Coverage" in Illinois."

The orange color palette is decidedly optimistic, representing the colors of sunrise - tied to focus group feedback that October 1 felt like the "dawn" of a new day for those uninsured.

Get Covered Illinois is for any Illinois resident who had insurance, lost it and wants it again; residents who could never afford or obtain insurance before; or for those who have never attempted to get insurance but now must comply with the law.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (09/24/2013)(readMedia)-- Five Soldiers were sworn into the Illinois Army National Guard at the opening ceremony at a WWE event Sept. 22 at the Prairie Capitol Convention Center in Springfield, Ill.

Lt. Col. Mark Alessia of Sherman, Ill., the commander of the Illinois National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Command in Springfield, Ill., administered the oath of military service to Pfc. Allison Hoffman of Quincy, Ill., Pvt. Bradley Wagner of Sherman, Ill., Spc. Eilleen Figueroa of Decatur, Ill., Pvt. Joshua Mort of Springfield, Ill., and Pvt. Ian Mundstock of Litchfield, Ill.

The five new Soldiers will go to serve in units throughout the state.

The Progressive Action for the Common Good Peace Forum is holding its final Peace Vigil on Saturday, September 28th from 11 am to noon on the Slumberland corner of John Deere Road and 16th Street  by Southpark Mall.  The group has been gathering there pretty much every Saturday for the past eight years in heat and cold, rain and shine, exept for the past two winters when they wore matching "End the War" t- shirts and walked the mall.

New $10 Million East Moline Logistics Facility Will More Than Quadruple Company's Illinois Workforce  

EAST MOLINE - Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by executives from Material Control Systems, Inc. (MATCON) to announce the business is building a $10 million logistics facility in East Moline and adding 150 new jobs, more than quadrupling their Illinois workforce as their business grows. The announcement is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois' economy forward.

"MATCON is a company with a long history in Illinois going back to the 1930s," Governor Quinn said. "Its commitment to grow here in the heart of the heartland is a testament to Illinois' skilled workforce and our longstanding role as the nation's central transportation and distribution hub."

The new 100,000-square-foot East Moline warehouse will assist in the distribution of the company's packaging and shipping products. MATCON was established by the Larson family in the 1930s as a wood packaging company primarily for a local manufacturing firm. They have since expanded into the manufacturing of plastic returnable packaging systems and urethane products for shipping. The company is headquartered in Port Byron with another production facility in Cordova, Illinois and other facilities in Iowa and North Carolina. MATCON currently employs 37 people in Illinois.

"I'd like to thank the State of Illinois, the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, and THE National Bank for making this new facility a reality and in the process creating 150 new jobs for the Quad Cities area," MATCON owner and president Donn Larson said.

MATCON will receive a $1,015,000 loan through the state's Advantage Illinois program, which helps small businesses gain access to capital and is federally funded. The Advantage Illinois loan is part of a total $10.15 million loan package through a private bank and the Small Business Administration. Funding for Advantage Illinois is provided by the U.S. Treasury through the State Small Business Credit Initiative, which was created as part of the Small Business Jobs Act signed into law by President Obama in 2010.

Since Advantage Illinois debuted in October 2011, Illinois has committed $48 million in federal funds to leverage $370 million in private investment for 154 projects, creating or retaining almost 2,800 jobs in Illinois. The program is administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).

MATCON is also eligible for Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credits, which are issued based on job creation. The EDGE tax credits are performance-based, meaning a company is not eligible for them unless it meets its commitment to create new jobs, keep existing jobs and make the agreed upon private investment.

"Small and medium sized business like MATCON play a vital role in creating jobs and fueling economic growth in Illinois," DCEO Director Adam Pollet said.

Under Governor Quinn's leadership, the state of Illinois has worked relentlessly to identify and recruit companies with strong potential to bring jobs and economic growth to Illinois. The state has added 251,000 private sector jobs since January 2010, when job growth returned to Illinois following a two-year period of declines during the recession.

For more information on why Illinois is the right place for business, please visit illinoisbiz.biz.