|
Posted: 10:31 PM Feb 7, 2012
Quinn Wants to Cut $2 Billion from Medicaid Budget
Gov. Pat Quinn says Illinois must cut its Medicaid budget by $2 billion to help solve the state's fiscal woes.
Reporter: The AP |
|
3 Comments 
CHICAGO (AP) -- Gov. Pat Quinn says Illinois must cut its Medicaid budget by $2 billion to help solve the state's fiscal woes.
The Democrat offered no details Tuesday on how the goal would be accomplished.
Some options are shrinking payments to doctors, cutting benefits and reducing how many people are eligible for the health care program covering 2.7 million poor and disabled Illinoisans.
Illinois' Medicaid budget is about $14 billion. The state contribution is around $8.6 billion.
However, the state has paid some costs out of future budgets, and there's a buildup of late payments. The backlog of unpaid Medicaid bills is expected to reach $1.8 billion by fiscal year's end.
Quinn's budget address is Feb. 22. He says he wants to tackle restructuring Medicaid and pension reform this year.
Latest Comments
I agree with Anonymous completely. When are our lawmakers going to take a cut or a freeze. How about they lose their pensions and benefits. Go after the ones who are cheating the system not the ones who aren't.
How about Gov Quinn makes sure that fraud is curtailed? When I go into the schools & see the cell phones, expensive clothing and shoes worn by "welfare" children, I begin to suspect that they don't need medicaid. Let's take care of fraud and NOT make cut to medicaid that will hurt families that NEED medicaid. Did you know that MOST of the students that apply for reduced lunches don't even QUALIFY for those benefits but NO ONE is checking on the incomes of these fraudulent recipients?? NO CUTS WITHOUT INSTALLING CHECKS ON RECIPIENTS' ACTUAL NEEDS!!
I've got a better idea. How about our Illinois legislators and empirical governor take a 10% cut across the board including their perks and benefits! Let's see how much is saved there. It is a sad commentary on our community when the rich get richer while the poor are continually spiraling downward without a way out. Many in Illinois are unemployed or underemployed. Medicaid assistance is for some their only life line and are not part of the "systems" problem. Shame on governor Quinn!!!
