Health Care Providers Lean on IL for Medicaid Funding
Illinois' cash flow problems are causing headaches for local health care providers. The state is waiting months to pay local agencies. Diana Knaebe is with Heritage Behavioral Health Center in Macon County. She says her facility last received a state check in December. Before that time, it was early fall. Knaebe says the delays force her to juggle expenses.
"You start to wonder if you can make payroll, "Knaebe said. "You start looking at vendor checks and wonder which ones can you pay, which ones can you pay a smaller portion than you did in the past and all those kinds of things."
Knaebe says she might need to borrow money -- and pay interest -- just to cover her costs. Illinois' Comptroller says part of the dilemma is that Illinois fails to fully fund Medicaid, leading to a budget shortfall each year. He supports legislation that would require a more accurate financial plan.