Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois donated $1 million to Chicago's Flexible Housing Pool, a public-private initiative that helps homeless people in Chicago find permanent housing.
FHP was created in 2017 under former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. It was modeled after a program in Los Angeles that found every dollar invested into housing the homeless saved $1.20 in healthcare and other social services. Chicago's FHP housed the first person in March 2019, and 25 more people have received housing since.
"The average life expectancy among America's homeless is between 42 and 52 years old, much lower than the life expectancy for the general population at 78 years," Derek Robinson, MD, CMO of BCBS of Illinois, said in a press release. "One estimate is that more than 80% of all homeless people have at least one chronic health condition. By taking away the obstacle of homelessness, we can empower individuals to better manage their medical conditions and avoid complex problems like kidney failure, heart attack, stroke or blindness."
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