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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - This just in… Dillard demands concession (use this morning’s password)

Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The governor’s office recently issued a statement on All Kids

More than 120,000 Illinois children have enrolled in the All Kids health insurance program since November 2005. […]

“I am proud to announce that since we took office, 300,000 children across the state now have health insurance who didn’t have it before,” Blagojevich said in a statement. “That means those kids are healthier, their families are healthier, and they are more likely to do well in school.”

Not mentioned was how many of those children were already enrolled in an existing Medicaid program and were simply moved over to All Kids, which was billed as relief for middle class parents without insurance. The last time an announcement like this was made, we later discovered that only a tiny handful of middle class kids were in the program.

Also, the Daily Herald discovered that doctors are extremely reluctant to accept the program’s enrollees.

A Daily Herald survey of 58 Kane County pediatricians on a state-supplied list found that at least 41 percent were not accepting new All Kids patients. In addition, more than one in five of the phone numbers either sent callers to a fax machine, pager or cell phone, or they were disconnected.

Just over 12 percent said they accepted only newborns, while another 12 percent did not respond. Ten doctors offices on the state list of 58 said they accept new pediatric patients under All Kids; all were in Elgin or Aurora.

And, as usual, the stone wall is still encircling this administration.

The governorâ€™s office so far has not fulfilled a Dec. 1 Freedom of Information Act request for similar lists from other suburban counties. A patient presumably could get the lists in a timely fashion by calling a hotline for the All Kids program.

The program boosted physician payments - tripling the reimbursement for visits, for instance - but doctors are so frustrated with the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rates that they are just flat-out refusing to accept new patients.

The governor really needs to address this problem. Now that the election is over, he should either make All Kids work or try something else that does actually bring healthcare to children.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - White; Kelly; Jones; Schools; Minimum Wage; Jakobsson (Use all caps in password)

Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Monday morning quarterback

Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

This is a Chicago Bears open thread.

Have at it.

17 Comments

Question of the day

Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

It’s a holiday week and I’m expecting comments will be pretty light for the next several days (before I shut down the blog for a week or so). Let’s have a little fun today.

This has been done by others, but I don’t think we’ve ever touched on it here. Our current state slogan is, of course, “Land of Lincoln.” Come up with a new one.

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Guv backs off

Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

This was not unexpected, considering the governor’s strong ties to ComEd and his unwillingness to challenge Emil Jones, who opposes continuing the rate freeze.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich appears to have abandoned his pledge to force lawmakers into discussion over curbing ComEdâ€™s upcoming rate hike, likely tossing the political hot potato to the spring legislative session.

The lack of action by Blagojevich and lawmakers means Commonwealth Edison can press ahead with the 22 percent rate increase it intends to impose after a nine-year freeze on its rates expires Jan. 1. Rate increases may be much higher for businesses.

The governor threatened to call a special session back in October, releasing a letter which stated in part…

I have and continue to support legislation extending a rate freeze and would like to sign it into law as soon as possible. To this end, I intend to work with you right away to secure sufficient support among lawmakers to pass such legislation. Once we have the votes to pass the legislation, I will immediately call a special session to do so. I have every confidence that members of the legislature will agree that it is necessary to extend the rate freeze and protect consumers from significant electricity rate increases, but if we are unable to reach consensus in the near future, I will call a special session to take up the matter. Such a session will continue for as long as necessary to reach the intended result, even if it is extended through the holiday season.

But now?

Blagojevich aides did not respond to a request for comment Friday. In early December, spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff refused to acknowledge the governor had promised to force lawmakers into special session.

She said only that a special session was among the â€œoptions on the table.â€

Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will hold a press conference today to push for an investigation of ComEd’s connection to CORE, an advertiser here. From a press release:

Quinn will discuss the decision by Illinois Commerce Commission Administrative Law Judge Terrence Hilliard ordering the ICC staff to investigate the financial ties between ComEd and its front group, Consumers Organized for Reliable Electricity (CORE).

In a petition to the ICC requesting an emergency investigation, Quinn had asked the Commission to order full disclosure of the millions of dollars the utility company has funneled through CORE to fund deceptive television commercials supporting the utility companyâ€™s demand for a 25% rate hike beginning Tuesday, Jan. 2.

In his order, Judge Hilliard stated: “In summary, we conclude that the Commission has the authority to investigate ComEdâ€™s financial support of CORE and its alleged sponsorship of CORE advertisements. Furthermore, the facts alleged in the petition suggest such an investigation is warranted.

“On the basis of the results of this investigation, the Commission may take further action concerning the request that we impose disclosure requirements on ComEd for CORE ads sponsored by ComEd with an underlying commercial purpose.”

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This just in… Governor’s inauguration events

Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The governor’s office just released the inauguration schedule.

Inter-Faith Prayer Service: 9:30 a.m.â€“10:15 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield, located at 7th and Capitol Streets. The Governor and First Family will join other Constitutional Officers for an interfaith service, during which the Constitutional Party will light the Unity Candle.

Inaugural Ceremony: 11:00 a.m.â€“12:55 p.m. (doors will open at 9:00 a.m.) at the Prairie Capitol Convention Center in Springfield. More than 5,000 attendees will watch as the Governor and Constitutional Officers take the Oath of Office.

Executive Mansion Receiving Line: 2:30 p.m.â€“4:00 p.m. at the Executive Mansion in Springfield. The Governor will be joined by Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn in greeting the public at the Executive Mansion.

Celebrate! Illinois 2007 Inaugural Ball: 7:30 p.m.â€“11:30 p.m. at the Exposition Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. The Governor, First Lady and Constitutional Officers will take part in the ball, which is an Inaugural tradition.

You can find out more info and purchase a limited number of tickets at a special website set up for the occasion, Celebrate Illinois.

What inaugural events would you like to see? Snark encouraged.

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Illinois hoping softdrink war pays off big

Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Illinois hasn’t made much money off of naming rights, and while the state is stopping short of naming an “official” soft drink, like New York City did (and then raked in $166 million from Snapple), it is planning to give one of the top beverage makers exclusive access to state buildings.

In a move patterned after a plan already in place in New York City, state officials are seeking formal proposals to hire one company to supply nearly every government building with soft drinks and other beverages.

The results of the competition could put the folks at Coke or Pepsi in control of more than 2,300 vending machines in scores of state buildings, as well as give one company the right to sell its products at the Illinois State Fair and at a handful of state university campuses.

As with just about everything with this governor, the state’s deal with Maryland-based Team Services has been more press pop than reality. And there is also a political aspect.

A Team Services founder donated $4,000 to the governor and had a past business relationship with Blagojevich’s former chief of staff, Lon Monk, before he joined the administration in 2003.

The administration credits Team Services with helping generate $3.7 million for the state through private sponsorship deals. The state has paid the firm $300,000 for its services.

Last year, Team Services was cited in a harsh state audit for helping shape the state contract proposal it later wound up winning.

Coke or Pepsi?

14 Comments

Morning shorts

Monday, Dec 18, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Martire: Spending cuts won’t solve Illinois’ budget woes

* AP Interview: Tusk says Illinois better off as he returns to NY

* Editorial: Gov. Rod Blagojevich fashions himself as a risk-taker. This tendency gets him a lot of attention, although it comes with a cost.

* Governor’s Pentagon suit revived.

* Fight brewing over fate of Finkl site

* Lincoln museum draws crowds, is boon for Springfield, Ill.

* State Republican leaders gather at Hastertâ€™s home

* LaHood: GOP needs some bonding