* If the Senate’s federal spending appropriations bill is signed into law, what’s left to do? From the Senate Democrats…

Click the pic for more info.

Still a lot of pain out there, particularly those human service grants and programs.

…Adding… A bit more info…

Human services programs include addiction treatment, MH, DH, early intervention, home services, child care. The consent decrees only apply to certain populations of people, not all those eligible, only the population tied to the decree.

Other examples are funeral and burial assistance, homeless prevention for adults and youth, breast and cervical cancer screening program, AIDS/HIV treatment services, immunization and outreach.

Public Health depts. are not receiving their GRF funding.

…Adding More… To clarify, this is only GRF money. There are other state funds out there.

       

39 Comments - Tournaround Agenda - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:04 pm: Only 5 hostages to the turnaround agenda remain. It remains to see if they can scream loud enough to be freed, or if they’ll starve instead. - Bluefish - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:05 pm: CGFA projects revenues at $32.1 billion. Looks like a huge gap to bridge. - Leatherneck - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:11 pm: What’s included in the “Other State Programs and Grants” category? - Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:12 pm: Without state funds and MAP disbursements; CSU, NEIU, EIU and maybe a few others will have a difficult time making payroll before long… - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:13 pm: Lot of pain, and a lot heat, with much more to come, every passing day. People are getting thrown out of work, thrown into the street, and programs are being shut down. It’s high time the governor emerged from his bunker and explained to people why his anti-union agenda, which is designed to reduce the incomes of some citizens, is worth other citizens losing their jobs or being deprived of critical state services. If he can’t or won’t do it, then he needs to figure his out. My guess is it will be the property tax freeze the Dems passed earlier. The governor has not been shy about flipping and throwing the GOP caucus under the bus when it suits him, personally. - Facts are Stubborn Things - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:13 pm: less and less leverage for the “turn around agenda”. At the end of the day, we will have a budget and there will be very little left of the turn around agenda that has not already been passed. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:16 pm: “Group Insurance $1,766.1″ (millions) If this keeps up, state workers will soon have to cover 100% of their health costs. Sheesh. - Rusty618 - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:20 pm: Interesting that more money is going into Medicaid than pensions, which gets all of the attention. - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:21 pm: Can someone clarify the Group Insurance funding amount for me? Is it $1,660m which is 601m above the Gov’s budget but only 63% of the liability? The first and third figures sound correct but not the second. - Norseman - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:22 pm: === If this keeps up, state workers will soon have to cover 100% of their health costs. Sheesh. === You’re being too pessimistic. It won’t get below 98% because of Kanerva. (/s) - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:23 pm: What’s “exciting” for me is how, in the end, with all the hugging and puffing, and posturing and owning 67 Owls and their voting keys… Rauner leveraged himself to beg for a revenue increase, search for victories, and own the reality the Turnaround Agenda “power play” steamrolled him and the GOP GA members he controls. Can NOT wait for the moment Jack Franks votes “red” on the tax increase and 47 GOP GA members are a bright, bright “green”, even those “who” signed the “no tax” pledges. The laughter will be loud, that’s for sure. After all this pain, GOP GA, there is no way, no way possible, Madigan and Cullerton will give the governor any “freebies”. It’s all 67 of you. It’s malpractice by the Dem GA leaders of they give the Rauner Caucuses passes now. Complete malpractice of Caucus governing… Rauner will sign it, Rauner will own the whole episode, and the damage, politically, but far more important, the damage to people and their lives, will have been done, so one man can test “crisis creates leverage” Lots of dmsge done. - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:24 pm: Make that $1,766m and is that a $601m reduction? - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:25 pm: ===is that a $601m reduction?=== Yes. Governor’s introduced levels. - UIC Guy - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:25 pm: Anyone know—given the commitments already made, how much GRF (given present tax levels) remains uncommitted? - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:28 pm: RE: Group Insurance At least they’ve found something else to under fund. They’ve had their way with pensions. On to healthcare now. - Triple fat - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:41 pm: So the deal has been made to cost shift my healthcare family benefits? Are they going to agree to his public Union agenda, as well? I’m more than a little concerned that I and my fellow Union brothers and sisters may be the compromise offered to the Governor. - illlinifan - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:43 pm: Since Illinois is self insured, and have been paying employee health expenses 9-12 months late, we are already underfunding the insurance costs. My question is is this estimate based on the employees picking up the cost differential of 37% of just anticipated expense based on continuing the practice of not paying the bills. - Triple fat - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:46 pm: I’m really looking forward to that hard freeze coupled with a substantial wage reduction. Reminds me when Merit Comp was frozen and had to start paying 4 percent into the pension. I believe that little Jewell happened quite quickly. - Juice - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:48 pm: Rich, $1.165 billion was the Governor’s introduced level. I think the 1.766 billion is the liability (or much close to it) without any changes to the program. The 63% percent of liability that is mentioned is simply recognizing that the program has sources of revenue in addition to the State’s general fund contribution. - Apocalypse Now - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:54 pm: =“Group Insurance $1,766.1″ (millions) If this keeps up, state workers will soon have to cover 100% of their health costs. Sheesh.= Welcome to the real world, where many people still don’t have insurance. - Norseman - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:59 pm: Apocalypse Now, it’s nice to know you support Obamacare. Otherwise, you’d be just a jerk making disparaging remarks because you’re a hater. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 4:03 pm: - Norseman -, Nicely played with Obamacare. I laughed out loud. - cdog - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 4:11 pm: Self-employed, bronze level plan on health exchange–I pay $1000 per month for three, with a $5000 deductible per person. That is $15000 out of pocket before any help from the insurance co. The pain that the taxpayers and state employees are feeling from figuring out how to try to pay these premiums is due to a massively under-regulated industry. There is so much reform needed here that would benefit all interests. Too bad this didn’t make it on the Tournaround Agenda because these reforms could be very business friendly, taxpayer friendly, etc. Good luck to the state employees on this one. I would suggest negotiating with your insurance company (the State)for specific benefits like pharmacy, primary care, etc. If you are going to get charged more, make sure your every day medical needs are covered sooner than $15000 later, like those on the exchange are stuck with. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 4:33 pm: There are other state funds out there, which equate to billions of dollars in current funding. - Mason born - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 4:33 pm: Apocalypse So how do you intend to recruit positions that routinely receive healthcare benefits? After all if employer a offers you same wage plus gold healthcare and the state offers bronze that’s a significant paycut. What the heck we don’t need professionals anyway I’m sure the secretary is just as capable of determining the bridge your driving over is safe as the engineer. - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 4:36 pm: ~200,000 MAP-eligible college students are about to return to campuses across the state in the next month or so. Or maybe not. - Triple fat - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 4:38 pm: apocalypse now - I think you need to be introduced to the real world where people don’t just let others take from them what they have earned. If you think we are just going to shrivel up like you non-bargaining unit employees do when your employer lies to you and tells you that your health insurance cost is goin up because of the ACA. Why don’t you find the courage to organize your workplace rather than lusting after what I have? Sheesh - illlinifan - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 6:13 pm: ACA offers persons 4 levels of coverage in plans. Bronze being the 60/40 ratio; silver being 70/30; gold is 80/20 and platinum 90/10. Obamacare offers choices. The state should offer choices as well. Bronze premiums paid by the state but employees could pay extra if they want a better “metal” plan. - DuPage Dave - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 6:22 pm: Illinifan you don’t seem to be very up on state employee health insurance options. There are no platinum plans out there for us. - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 6:33 pm: Rich and Juice, a few years back when I watched this more closely, GRF used to comprise about 2/3 of the Group Insurance funding. Juice’s 3:48 post would be consistent with past levels fwiw. - illlinifan - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 6:39 pm: I know that there are no platinum. I would love for the state to expand the options just like ACA does - Rufus - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 6:52 pm: “Welcome to the real world, where many people still don’t have insurance.” Isn’t that wonderful… The insurance companies, the pharmicudical companies, the hospital industrial complex, and the medical profession are all making record profits… And more and more people don’t have health insurance. Yea America! - Southern Illinois Hoopdee - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 8:37 pm: ==Can NOT wait for the moment Jack Franks votes “red” on the tax increase and 47 GOP GA members are a bright, bright “green”, even those “who” signed the “no tax” pledges.== Problem is that it won’t be a progressive increase that provides relief to working class people. It won’t fix the regressive nature of our tax system. What would real governance do? Freeze property taxes for a steeply progressive tax. Both sides get their way. Now that would be real governance. As far as Obamacare goes, should have pushed single payer instead. - HangingOn - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:15 pm: ==Welcome to the real world== The sad reality for me is if I was in the private sector making what I do for the state my child would qualify for AllKids. Because I work for the state I’m told I don’t qualify and so I pay $113/month for her. For now. It’s such a shame I worked for 7 years to become a state employee because I actually like doing something that helps people. And because of checks and balances I can’t just be let go because a co-worker decides I’m a “demon with supernatural powers”. (Yes, that actually happened to me once. She had seniority so I was let go, but at least I got unemployment.) - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 10:00 pm: In the Real World, that is the the wealthy, developed, capitalist world, the United States stands alone in not having universal health care. I guess Europe, Japan, Israel, Canada, et. al are just a bunch of Commies who don’t enjoy the freedom of insurance companies taking 30% off the top for shuffling paper and a medical business model that encourages massive charges for those with insurance and oogats for those without. AN, you must have tears of pride that U.S. citizens pay the most for the least on healthcare in the world. If you can’t spot the chump the first time the deal goes round, you’re it. - Demoralized - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 10:13 pm: ==Welcome to the real world, where many people still don’t have insurance.== Yeah, the goal should be to reduce the insurance for as many people as possible. Don’t make such goofy statements. - thoughts matter - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 10:16 pm: Apocolypse - please name me an employer with 60,000 full time employees that does not offer them heath insurance. Even Walmart offers their employees insurance (they may not be able to afford to take it, however). Please quit trying to compare state employees to the small Mom and Pop businesses or to the self-employed. cdog - AFSMCE negotiates the health insurance for all union and non-union employees - that’s one of the reasons the contract is not settled yet. I feel your pain, I was self-employed once also. That is one of the reasons I now work for the state, and get paid less, rather than be self-employed. Now I pay 300+ for 3 people, but I have to wait 9 months for the insurance to pay the bills. Rumor has it that the payment time frame will go months when this budget is settled. FYI - although we get a choice of HMO, PPO, or 80/20 indemnity plan, the premiums are only slightly different, and the coverage is pretty similar between then. The only difference is how much hoops you have to jump thru to get to see the doctor you prefer. - thoughts matter - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 10:18 pm: Sorry, payment time frame will go to 14 months. Please get us an edit button! - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 10:46 pm: ===Problem is that it won’t be a progressive increase that provides relief to working class people. It won’t fix the regressive nature of our tax system.=== That pesky constitution… gets in the way of that. You know, your grab of my comment is a commentary more about Rauner, and placing the GOP GA as pawns in a game. I think you missed that point. ===What would real governance do? Freeze property taxes for a steeply progressive tax. Both sides get their way. Now that would be real governance.=== Lots of moving parts, including that pesky constitution and the education funding aspect of property taxes. Why I “can’t wait” is exactly the waiting I had when Rauner required all the GOP GA to not vote for the K-12 Ed Approp, only to sign it. Sometimes it’s the politics at play more than looking at what’s commented on in the vacuum of governance. Hope I was able to clarify. 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