New evidence out today confirms that Illinois consumers have been paying a heck of a lot more for health insurance while getting less in return.

Coverage and real wages have declined steadily since 2000, while health care premiums for Illinois families have risen by 73.1 percent, according to a report released by the Campaign for Better Health Care (CBHC). If the pattern continues -- and consumers and employers continue to take on a greater share of the insurance burden -- Jim Duffett, CBHC's executive director, says the state's already struggling economy will be crippled.

"The tipping point is here. Businesses say they can't compete anymore," he said. "We can't afford not to [rein in costs]. Healthcare is the key to our economic security."

Just how much more consumers and employers are paying? The "Premiums vs. Paychecks" report sums it up:

- For family health coverage in Illinois, the employer's portion of annual premiums in the 2000-2007 period rose from $5,581 to $9,587 --an increase of $4,006, or 71.8 percent. Worker's portion rose from $1,639 to $2,912 --an increase of $1,273, or 77.7 percent.

- For individual health coverage, the employer's portion of annual premiums rose from $2,432 to $3,630 an increase of $1,198, or 49.3 percent. Worker's portion rose from $548 to $874 --an increase of $325, or 59.4 percent.

To get a handle on the rising costs, CBHC is recommending that state lawmakers form a regulatory body under the Illinois Department of Insurance that would require insurance companies to make the case for raising premiums and co-pay rates. Otherwise, those decisions will continue to be driven by profit goals over coverage costs. Requiring insurance companies to take on patients with pre-existing conditions would also take some stress off of both workers and taxpayers who end up picking up the tab for emergency services.

The cost of not acting is too great, Duffett says. "If we don't fix this, more people are going to be eligible for Medicaid because they can't find jobs. That's going to expand the state's budget."

Comptroller Dan Hynes signaled just last month that the rising Medicaid costs have already put a tremendous strain on Illinois' finances. Just three months into the current fiscal year, the state was already dealing with a $1.8 billion backlog of unpaid bills.

If the program's costs aren't either funded adequately or curtailed, Hynes says the mounting bills will simply overwhelm the state.

Meanwhile, Illinois' uninsured population only continues to climb. Even after the addition of the AllKids program -- a safety net covering children and pregnant woment -- 1.7 million people in Illinois remain uninsured.

In Duffett's eyes, a single-payer health care system would be the optimal solution. In the short term, "It's going to take lawmakers in Springfield to step forward and shed their do-nothing approach."