* Yesterday, I asked you to vote on which optional Medicaid services you would eliminate. Just one of those optional services received more than 50 percent “support”: Group Psychotherapy for Nursing Home Residents. But eliminating that program saves only $13 million out of a total of $1.8 billion in cuts I presented to you.
Not so easy, is it? That won’t even make a dent in Gov. Pat Quinn’s demand for $2.7 billion in Medicaid reductions.
* Today, let’s look at possible cuts to Medicaid eligibility. Rep. Greg Harris posted the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ 14 ways to cut eligibility which totaled about $196 million. I can only put 10 at a time on my polling app, so I took most of the top ten.
What we have here is the program name, followed by the number of human beings that will be cut off the rolls and then the total savings. “FPL” means federal poverty level. You can vote for as many cuts as you can stomach. Have at it, but make sure to explain your cuts in comments, please…
Potential conflicts of interest and other flaws created “serious deficiencies” in the state’s decision last year to award $7 billion in contracts for state employee health insurance, according to an audit released Wednesday. […]
The audit also questions the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ estimate that the contracts would save the state about $100 million a year.
“It is difficult to know how Mercer calculations show the state saves money …,” the audit states. “No one from the department validated the figures Mercer provided.”
* The Department of Healthcare and Family Services, which oversaw the process, came in for some harsh criticism…
• Failed to include all relevant information, including scoring evaluation criteria, in the RFPs.
• Utilized a consulting firm to have a major participation role in the procurements even though the firm had business relationships with all the firms that proposed on the two State procurement opportunities.
• Failed to ensure that all members of the evaluation team had all needed materials to score the proposals.
• Failed to comply with policy by not having the evaluation teams meet during the evaluation process.
• Allowed 10 of 12 evaluators to violate the evaluation procedures by not providing appropriate comments.
• Failed to address major differences in scoring by evaluators, a violation of evaluation procedures.
• Within the period of one month, March 7, 2011 to April 6, 2011, had developed and the Director had signed two different recommendations to award the State healthcare contracts. • The Department awarded [Blue Cross Blue Shield] 20 counties it did not even bid on. Also, network documentation showed that BCBS had zero primary care physicians in 24 counties that it was awarded. [Emphasis added.]
The Department took the first recommendation to a meeting with officials from the Governor’s Office and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget in late March 2011. Sometime after that meeting and the date the awards were announced on April 6, 2011, the recommendation was changed. While the Department indicated that the Chief Procurement Officer (Matt Brown) could not support the initial recommendation, documentation did not support that position.
Given the serious deficiencies in the procurement activities, including the disregard for following evaluation procedures and lack of documentation to support how the recommendation to award changed, we are unable to conclude whether the State’s best interests were achieved by the Department for the awards for the State health insurance procurements. Additionally, oversight of these procurements by the Commission lacked adequate review prior to approving the award of the contracts. These are serious problems given that this involved over 400,000 enrollees and eligible dependents and $7 billion in taxpayer monies.
“The technical issues identified in the audit did not affect the outcome of the procurement process, and the Department continues to believe that the overall procurement was executed in a fair and competitive manner,” said department spokesman Mike Claffey. “This was both a complex procurement and the first use of the state’s new procurement law for the group health insurance program. We will take into consideration the (auditor general’s) input in future Department procurements, including finalizing long-term health insurance options for state employees and retirees.”
The contracts resulted in one losing bidder, Urbana-based Health Alliance, filing a lawsuit in Sangamon County Circuit Court that cited many of the same deficiencies documented in the audit.
HFS has decided to settle the lawsuit by allowing companies such as Health Alliance and Humana to bid on a supplemental long-term contract for managed-care coverage that could begin July 1.
* We have two new congressional TV ads to rate today. First up, Jesse Jackson, Jr…
Among other things, the spot features a woman doing all the talking, probably because of the congressman’s problems in that regard. It also showcases a photo of President Obama and claims Debbie Halvorson “sat on the sidelines” during the healthcare debate.
The first time I heard the ad, it almost sounded like Kinzinger had something in his past he was trying to dismiss. Not sure it’s the greatest line, although it does make sense in the context of Don Manzullo’s long congressional tenure
* Ward Room interviewed House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Democratic primary opponent Michele Piszczor…
Ward Room: How would you vote on the conceal carry bill?
Piszczor: I don’t know. I’m out there canvassing. Ultimately, it’s not my ideas. It’s the people of my district’s. That’s why I’m out there canvassing, talking to the people of my district, hearing how they want me to vote in Springfield. Politicians too quickly put their own two cents in it, get paid by contributions that they get from people like Michael Madigan to vote certain ways. I’m out here for the people. However they wish for me to vote on these issues, that’s how I’m going to vote?
Ward Room: Has that come up yet?
Piszczor: It hasn’t. Their issue right now is the DREAM Act, which I am in favor of. The income tax increase, from 3 to 5 percent has been a big issue. […]
Ward Room: What does the state have to do to balance its budget, if not a tax increase?
Piszczor: If we have corporations to come back into Illinois and invest and want to do investment, then that gets people to get hired. When they get hired, they get taxed, federally and state, and then they turn around and buy homes, which you then purchase a mortgage, which you get taxed on, and those people purchase products in this state, which they get taxed on.
Ward Room: So what would you to bring jobs to Illinois?
Piszczor: The taxes are incredible, overcharging these people. The environment is not conducive for corporation investment in Illinois, is the best way I can put it. I’m talking to business owners, and they’re saying, ‘The taxes are killing us. At this point, it’s better for us to just close our doors.’
* The margin of error on this poll is so high that anybody who reports these numbers as fact should be put under heavy sedation in order to keep them away from a computer…
Republican primary voters in Southern Illinois favor former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 29 percent to 21 percent, according to a new poll conducted by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
The survey, conducted last week, also shows former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the choice of 11 percent of GOP primary voters, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul drew 6 percent.
The “front-runner” among area voters is “undecided.” A plurality of Southern Illinois Republicans — 30 percent — said they were undecided, and 4 percent chose “other.”
Yes, 400 registered voters were surveyed. But 17 percent of them said they probably weren’t voting and another 17 percent said they weren’t sure if they were voting. Also, just 32 percent of those 400 registered voters are taking Republican ballots, meaning that a mere 128 people were polled on the presidential primary. That gives us a MoE of 8.66 percent. So, Santorum’s 29-21 lead over Romney is actually within the margin of error.
If you live in Chicago and you don’t know where your precinct polling place is, the Board of Elections says there’s now an easy new way to find out.
What you have to do is text the board at (312) 361-8846. In the message space, put the simple version of your home registration address, e.g., 1000 W. Washington — no ZIP code, unit number or city. The board’s computer then will text you back with the address of your polling place for the March 20 primary.
Board Chairman Langdon Neal says “Where do I vote?” is the top question every Election Day. If enough people use the new system — and it works — it will be fully in place for the busier November general election, Mr. Neal adds.
* 8th Congressional District: Competing democrats focus on ousting Walsh - Democrats Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi avoid attacking each other in run up to primary
* Illinois GOP primary seen as increasingly relevant in presidential race
Rod Blagojevich plans to make a public statement in person before he reports to federal prison for his 14-year sentence on corruption charges, his spokesman said Wednesday.
The 55-year-old impeached governor won’t slip out of Chicago and will speak before cameras here days before he reports to a federal prison March 15, Glenn Selig told the Associated Press. He declined to offer details, including what Blagojevich might say or on what day.
Since his December sentencing for corruption, Blagojevich hasn’t granted interviews. His lawyers have said he wants to enter prison in a dignified way, without any media frenzy. That’s fueled speculation he could try to leave Chicago days in advance without comment. But Selig says Blagojevich never intended to do that.
“The governor has always taken things head on and never tried to circumvent anything,” he said.
* The Illinois Policy Institute will unveil its annual budget proposals today. I watched their preview video early this morning and noticed that the group’s plan includes pushing $800 million in state payments to the Teachers Retirement System off on local school districts. Chicago has its own teachers retirement system, but the state picks up the tab for suburban and downstate employers’ costs in TRS.
The idea of moving the costs down the governmental food chain was proposed last year by Senate President John Cullerton. Gov. Pat Quinn has since said it was an idea worth considering, as has House Speaker Michael Madigan. However, the proposal has run into a buzzsaw of opposition from suburban and downstate legislators, teachers unions, media and local pols.
* The group also wants to eliminate the Personal Property Replacement Tax, which would wipe out the Local Government Distributive Fund. The Illinois Policy Institute claims killing off the LGDF would “save” the state $1.6 billion, but it won’t really save the state any money at all. This is basically just a pass-through account. Brain freeze. Nevermind.
The group also favors cutting state employee paychecks by 10 percent, saying it would save $500 million.
* In other budget-related news, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is objecting to the governor’s proposed 9.4 percent cut to her appropriation. Madigan claims her office generated $908 million last year, 30 times its taxpayer funding. She’s also saying that it’s tough to retain lawyers on her payroll as it is…
“We’re bringing in revenue for the state. We want to continue bringing in revenue,” Madigan said. “I can’t do that if I don’t have lawyers.”
The office gets less money today from taxpayers than it did in 1998, she said. Her lawyers haven’t had raises since 2006. One-third of them have retired or left for better jobs, often with other state agencies, in just the past two years.
“Morale is terribly low in the office, and people are voting with their feet,” said Madigan, a Chicago Democrat. […]
Sen. Pamela Althoff, the top Republican on one of the Senate’s appropriations committees, pointed out that the attorney general’s budget was cut deeply several years ago and has never recovered. “She’s not even coming from a level playing field,” said Althoff, of McHenry.
The starting salary for an attorney in Madigan’s office is just $50,500. That’s really pathetic. Most of her folks work there because they want to do public service. But that emotion only lasts so long for most people. Eventually, you gotta pay your bills and feed your family.
* Secretary of State Jesse White issued his own warning yesterday…
Illinois’ license plate czar said he may have to close as many as five driver’s license facilities because of Gov. Pat Quinn’s call for deep spending cuts.
Secretary of State Jesse White told a House panel Wednesday that he may be able to avoid layoffs and closures under his budget plan, which calls for an overall 2 percent reduction in spending from the current fiscal year.
But, Gov. Pat Quinn has called on the state’s agency chiefs and constitutional officers to trim 9.4 percent in the budget that begins July 1. White said such a cut would be “devastating.”
“It would be tough to do business,” White said.
* Indeed, just one statewide officer proposed a 9.4 percent cut in line with the governor’s wishes, Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon. The rest argued for less…
Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka also outlined her budget plan to the committee, a proposal that calls for a 2 percent reduction from the current year.
“We’ve been cutting right along since day one,” Topinka said. “We’re down to what the office was in 1998.”
Topinka said headcount in her office will remain at 257, down from more than 300 10 years ago. The office will be negotiating new contracts with its unions, but Topinka warned employees not to get their hopes up.
“One of the things we will continue to put forward at this point is no raises,” Topinka said. “If we’re not taking in more than we’re spending, we have to stop it. Nobody is above it, which includes our managerial staff, our union staff, me. We’re all going to cut.”
Treasurer Dan Rutherford said his budget continues a 2 percent reduction that he requested in his current spending plan.
* Related…
* Press Release: Lawmakers vote to cut their own pay
* Budget battle begins between IL gov, lawmakers: Radogno warned that the $33.7 billion is not a spending cap. She urged the General Assembly to spend less than the projected revenue to start remedying the state’s longtime cash flow conundrum, something not even a 67 percent individual income tax increase has fixed.
* Lawmakers decide how much Illinois will have for budget
* The House convenes at 2 this afternoon and the Senate convenes at noon. BlackBerry users click here. Everybody else can just kick back and watch today’s events unfold…
