CARBONDALE - Jerry Nix represents the face of more than one million Illinoisans, but closer to home he represents hundreds of displaced Maytag workers who are watching the days as their health insurance benefits slip away.

Come June, health care benefits afforded 34-year Maytag worker Nix by his severance package will be gone.

"It's scary to know without insurance. If we had to go into the hospital, how would we pay that bill?" Nix said.

Barry Maram, director of the Illinois Department of Health Care and Family Services, was in Carbondale Thursday touting Illinois Covered, Gov. Rod Blagojevich's proposed health care plan that would provide insurance to uninsured and underinsured Illinoisans.

Maram said the rising cost of health insurance and a dwindling number of companies offering sufficient and affordable benefits to employees has created a crisis.

"Someone got thrown off the bus," Maram said. "It was the middle class."

About 1.4 million Illinois residents are uninsured. Maram said many fall into the category of not making enough money to pay for private insurance but making too much money - more than $1,166 for a two-person household - to qualify for public insurance.

"Health care is the biggest reason people go bankrupt," Maram claimed.

Fred Bernstein, chief executive officer of Community Health and Emergency Services, said many of his company's patients are uninsured. The company serves Alexander, Jackson, Hardin, Pope, Pulaski and Saline counties.

"In many areas we serve, we are the only providers," Bernstein said. "We see people choosing between health care and groceries. We are a proud people in Southern Illinois. Folks like to pay their own way."

ashley.wiehle@thesouthern.com

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