* Term limits will solve this, I’m sure…
Thousands of children in Illinois are at risk of not getting their immunizations this year amid the ongoing state budget crisis, officials said.
More than 100,000 kids on Medicaid in Illinois face potentially not getting their immunizations as the state nears its third year with no budget, according to local officials of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Under the current plans, vaccines for Medicaid Title 21 children are purchased by their doctors, who are supposed to be reimbursed by the state through Medicaid managed care organizations. MCO’s are state contractors.
“This spring, things came to a halt in getting compensated,” said Dr. Timothy Wall, Medical Director and President of Pediatric Health Associates. “We have had to cut back the ages of children we can give vaccines to.” […]
According to the AAP, the backlog is so burdensome for some doctors, they’ve had to stop providing immunizations altogether.
“That’s a perfect recipe for an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease,” said Dr. Edward Pont, who serves as the governmental affairs chair for the Illinois chapter of AAP.
The Rauner administration, of course, blamed the comptroller, which is just completely ridiculous on its face. Absolutely nothing is ever his fault. Her office’s response…
“Like the check bouncer who yells at his bank for bouncing a check from an account he himself emptied, the Governor disingenuously blames the Comptroller for not writing checks from state coffers that Governor Rauner emptied by failing his constitutional duty to propose a balanced budget,” said Abdon Pallasch, Director of Communications for the Office of the Comptroller.
- Blue Bayou - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:27 am:
Nice comeback by Mendoza’s office.
Burn.
- Workin' - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:29 am:
Governor Junk, the check-bouncer.
- Workin' - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:31 am:
Hit send too fast. Not sure the unity speech in the House Divided chamber can overcome more stories like this. Social service agencies, roads, schools, medicaid, disease. We’re getting closer to a raft of biblical plagues.
- SAP - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:33 am:
This budget mess is sickening.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:36 am:
It’s all about the kids and their future, right?
What’s that phrase, “ounce of prevention?”
Actions vs. words.
Monstrous.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:36 am:
Anytime someone so publically declares they will take the “slings and arrows” will invariably throw anyone and everyone under the bus at any sign of trouble.
- Shytown - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:41 am:
Hey, what’s a few sick and dying kids when you can get term limits???
- Anon. - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:44 am:
That is a really nice comeback. Go Susana & Abdon!
- DeseDemDose - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:44 am:
Rauner has destroyed Illinois past the point of no return. For no reason other than his quest to keep social climbing and be a part of the Koch brothers Oligarch Palm Springs club.
- City Zen - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:46 am:
==Like the check bouncer who yells at his bank for bouncing a check from an account he himself emptied==
The dire financial situation of Illinois and Chicago reminds me of Walter Matthau’s trust fund playboy in “A New Leaf”
Financial Advisor: When we spend more,
per month or per year than we have in income,
you must then dip into the capital, eventually exhausting the capital and of course, therefore, the income. Do you see what I mean?
Matthau: This check must be paid.
Financial Advisor: I’m trying to explain to you that it is impossible to pay the check because your expenses have exceeded your income
to such a point that you have exhausted your capital. you have no capital, no income,
therefore no funds for the check, you see?
Matthau: Don’t treat me as though
I were a child. I am as aware of what it means
to have no capital as you are. Now, what about this check?
- JoanP - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 9:58 am:
Oh, that’s just peachy keen.
Aside from being protected from disease, kids need immunization to be admitted to school. How many of those 100,000 children will be denied entry to school because of this?
Perhaps Rauner should call Arne Duncan . . . (snark, in case you couldn’t tell).
- AnonymousOne - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 10:01 am:
Another proud accomplishment for the history books attributable to Governor Junk
- Moe Berg - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 10:24 am:
I think Rauner’s down with an outbreak. It’s not his fault those kids need Medicaid to stay healthy. Look at what Pence allowed to happen in southern Indiana with HIV infections. Rauner admires Pence and holds IN as a model for what IL should be. Also, they share political consultant Nick Ayers in common.
Analogously, Rauner’s anti-tax zeal means that despite the empirical reality of the failed Kansas experiment, he will maintain his faith that it is best for Illinois. Common consultant in this instance, Donna Arduin.
Rauner is an honorary Koch brother.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 10:24 am:
This is a twofer. Since vaccines cause autism, not vaccinating justifies not funding autism services. It is not like measles causes death or blindness. /s
- Amalia - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
very, very frightening.
- Soccermom - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 12:39 pm:
City Zen — that is such a great movie. Glad there’s another fan in the Capfax commentariat…
- Nick Name - Thursday, Jun 22, 17 @ 4:46 pm:
Remember, folks, this is not due to incompetence. This is intentional.