UPDATE: On June 4, 2014, the State of Illinois filed its application for a $5 billion Medicaid plan with the federal government. Advocates for Medicaid recipients said they were told by State officials that there were no substantial changes from the version of the plan posted for public comment in February. Original post published on April 11, 2014 Despite a scheduled submission date of March…
The State of Illinois hopes to receive approximately $3.25 billion in new federal Medicaid funding under a proposal to be submitted to the federal government in March. The estimated amount of new federal funding in the State’s comprehensive waiver proposal was discussed at a General Assembly hearing in Chicago on January 22. Consultants testified that the new funding would be based on State…
The following posts were among the most highly read on the Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability’s blog in 2013 and represent some of the most closely followed Illinois fiscal issues this year: Analysis of Pension Reform Proposal Shows Significant State Savings January 3, 2013 This blog examines a pension reform proposal introduced in the Illinois General Assembly late in 2012 by a…
On December 18, 2013, the Illinois General Assembly held its first hearing on the plan to apply for a federal waiver to overhaul the State’s Medicaid program. State officials plan to submit an application to the federal government by the middle of February 2014. A draft of the proposal—scheduled to be posted for comment on January 5—is likely to be delayed because of continuing work on the…
The State of Illinois plans to apply for a sweeping federal waiver to overhaul its Medicaid program, according to a draft concept paper issued on November 7, 2013. The waiver proposal, called Path to Transformation, covers all of the State’s Medicaid spending and all of the populations that are currently eligible or may be eligible under the federal Affordable Care Act. It would allow Illinois…
In a report released today, the Civic Federation supports Cook County’s proposed FY2014 operating budget of $3.2 billion, which holds the property tax levy relatively flat by reducing expenditures and aggressively pursuing new revenue for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System under the federal Affordable Care Act. “This budget shows admirable restraint and forward thinking from Board…
The Civic Federation supports Cook County’s proposed FY2014 operating budget of $3.2 billion for holding the property tax levy relatively flat, reducing expenditures and aggressively pursuing new revenue for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System under the federal Affordable Care Act. The administration continues to stabilize the County budget without increasing the property tax burden on…
An effort to clear Illinois’ Medicaid program of ineligible enrollees has led to the removal of 128,700 participants, but State savings are expected to be far lower than hoped by lawmakers, according to testimony at a legislative hearing on September 17, 2013. The State has moved to cancel 75,707 Medicaid cases as of September 9, officials of the State’s main Medicaid agency said at the joint…
UPDATE: On August 23, 2013, the preliminary FY2014 budget of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System was unanimously approved by the Health System's Board of Directors. The Cook County Board is expected to vote on the plan in October. The Health System's preliminary budget will then be included in the County Board President's overall budget proposal for FY2014. Original blog published on…
The scheduled rollout of Medicaid managed care in Illinois has been delayed by six months so hospitals can set up their own healthcare networks for Medicaid patients. The new networks, known as Accountable Care Entities (ACEs), are intended to cover children and families. The State’s Medicaid agency, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), originally intended to enroll…
