Action needed to end delay in Medicaid Reform Implementation

 

Legislative updates from the Illinois House Republicans 

 

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Yesterday in Springfield, I joined with Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno and leading Medicaid reform legislator Sen. Dale Righter to call on Governor Pat Quinn to implement, without delay, the bipartisan Medicaid reform law to achieve millions in projected cost savings and protect low-income and disabled residents.

 

Watch video of Leader Cross’ remarks by clicking on the image below.

Under one of the major provisions the law, the State is required to utilize a private vendor to review eligibility based on ability to pay and residency. This is anticipated to scrub as many as 300,000 ineligible individuals off the Medicaid rolls and save the state $350 million. However, Administration officials recently announced their intention to delay implementation of this provision until January 2013, a full six months into the state’s current fiscal year.

Failure to act may very well lead to the Governor coming back to us in January or sooner and saying we need to make additional cuts to vulnerable families and/or raise new revenue, which is code for raising taxes. Our Medicaid reform law was specifically and carefully crafted to avoid such a doomsday scenario.

With so much at stake and millions of low-income and disabled Illinois residents depending on Medicaid, we cannot afford any delay in fully implementing this law. We have come too far to allow administrative delays to threaten the heath care of millions of Illinois families.

I have also filed House Resolution 1225 to help shine a brighter

light on the implementation of these reforms and require a monthly implementation briefing. 

There are dozens of other reforms that total close to $1.3 billion in cost savings included in the Medicaid reform law.  These also need to be implemented during the current fiscal year.  Please visit Illinois House (www.ilhousegop.org) and Senate (www.senategop.state.il.us) websites for more details.

We will be monitoring the implementation of all of these reforms to make sure we hit the target that is included in the budget. It is unacceptable to delay any longer. Action is needed, and needed now.

News entities from all over the state covered our news conference.  Click HERE to read one piece published in the Chicago Tribune today.

Sincerely,

Rep. Tom Cross

House Republican Leader

State Representative, 84^th District

Contact Information:

Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross

401 S. Second Street, Room 316
Springfield, IL 62706