By IL Public Radio
Springfield, IL – Health care providers say state payment delays are impacting their ability to serve the community.
Dave Schwick with Lutheran Social Services says his organization is waiting about 90 days for the state to pay what it owes. Schwick's group provides day care, senior care and other services through Illinois. He says Lutheran Social Services routinely borrows money to make payroll and cover costs of supplies. "My fear is some of the smaller organizations that don't have access to credit particularly in this credit squeeze...will literally be squeezed out of business."
Schwick says that would mean fewer services available to the public.
Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes says the state's Medicaid backlog has grown to an estimated six billion dollars this year. He says lawmakers and the Governor have previously failed to fund the full amount of health costs in the state's budget. He's pushing for legislation to change that practice and to allow the state more flexibility when borrowing to take full advantage of federal dollars.
