Prior to the release of the Governor’s annual budget recommendation, the Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability at the Civic Federation releases an analysis of the State of Illinois’ fiscal condition. The FY2014 Roadmap includes a review of Governor Quinn’s three-year budget plan, a rough five-year budget projection for FY2014 to FY2018 and recommendations for the Governor and General Assembly to improve the state’s financial condition. The analysis shows the State on track to accumulate…
The State of Illinois, like other states, is faced with a decision on whether to expand its Medicaid program in 2014 under the federal Affordable Care Act. The decision in Illinois is complicated by a State law that bans such a Medicaid expansion until 2015. As discussed here, the State moratorium was lifted by the Illinois General Assembly in 2012 for the limited purpose of allowing Cook County’s public health system to gain early access to Medicaid coverage for newly eligible recipients in…
Throughout this year’s Illinois budget negotiations, the IIFS blog was a valuable source of information and focus in the State’s murky and complex budget process. This year’s negotiations included a groundbreaking effort to address the Medicaid funding gap, new pension reform proposals and yet another downgrade to the State’s credit rating. Budget Negotiations The Institute started the year with a report projecting an alarming increase in the State’s backlog of unpaid bills. The report was…
This blog has previously addressed unfunded costs in the State of Illinois’ FY2013 budget, including costs relating to Medicaid and employee and retiree group health insurance. As discussed here, these costs will increase the State’s backlog of unpaid bills unless they are covered by supplemental appropriations. Another area with unfunded costs is the Community Care Program in the Illinois Department on Aging. Established in 1979, the program is designed to allow seniors to stay out of nursing…
UPDATE: House Bill 6253, which would lift the Illinois moratorium on Medicaid expansion for those who will be eligible under national healthcare reform in 2014, has been filed in the Illinois General Assembly. Watch this space for more information about Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Original blog published on November 20, 2012
UPDATE: Cook County has received federal approval for a Medicaid expansion plan that is projected to bring in $99 million in net revenues in FY2013 and is a key component of the County’s FY2013 budget. The approval, announced by the County on October 26, 2012, means that an estimated 250,000 low income Cook County residents will have early access to Medicaid coverage before Medicaid expansion begins under national healthcare reform in 2014. As discussed here and here, the Cook County Health and…
A $1-per-pack cigarette tax increase enacted by the State of Illinois in June to help fund the State’s Medicaid program is bringing in far less revenue than originally expected and could fall short of projections by as much as $125.7 million. However, due to the way the tax was enacted it is not expected to have a major impact on Medicaid funding. The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) has reduced the estimate of additional revenues attributable to the cigarette tax increase citing a run on…
Reflecting severe financial pressures, the State of Illinois pushed an estimated $3.6 billion of Medicaid and group health insurance bills from FY2012 into the current fiscal year. The new estimate is based on documents filed in connection with the State’s bond offering on September 13, 2012. The $3.6 billion in deferred bills in FY2012 compares with $1.7 billion in FY2011. As discussed here, a provision of Section 25 of the State Finance Act allows costs for Medicaid and group health insurance…
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision on national healthcare reform, Illinois officials plan to seek authorization from the Illinois General Assembly to participate in the expansion of the Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act. Julie Hamos, Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, told members of the agency’s Medicaid Advisory Committee at a meeting on July 20, 2012 that legislation authorizing the expansion will be sought during the fall…
Cook County’s public health system faces significant financial challenges in fiscal year 2013, although the outlook could improve if the federal government signs off on a plan to expand Medicaid coverage in advance of national healthcare reform. New financial projections for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System were included in the Preliminary Budget Estimates report for FY2013, issued on June 27, 2012 by the Office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. As discussed here, the…
