Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation announced it has worked out a deal with half a dozen banks (via Illinois Bankers Association) to cash “stimulus” checks fee-free for unbanked/underbanked people. Press release (PDF) here: https://tinyurl.com/y27hqud5
Between this and the news about the AG’s unemployment fraud task force, Illinois feels a little more functional today. Like.
I have to have a root canal perform. The second session will be later this month. I was advised that since I am a State retiree, they will not accept my dental insurance as CMS is taking up to a year to process this work. I will need to take this up with CMS myself.
If you can I would suggest finding a new dentist. I had the similar problem few years back with a dentist I’d had for decades.
Found another, just a few miles away, and she has no problem waiting on the state.
Don’t know if this is an option for you, but an idea.
Thank you for that link, Cheryl44. I miss my brick Cape Cod and my (almost) entire brick neighborhood on the south side. (Much of the time just the bricks.)
===I have to have a root canal perform. The second session will be later this month. I was advised that since I am a State retiree, they will not accept my dental insurance as CMS is taking up to a year to process this work. I will need to take this up with CMS myself.
Anyone else who is experiencing this?===
Yes, everyone retired under SERS, TRS, and SURS.,
but it is not CMS causing the delay. The dental
insurance (Delta) pays as soon as the state pays
their insurance bill, which is about a year
behind. Many dentists will take the insurance but
insist on you paying upfront, and they refund
when they get paid, a year or more later.
I have read that the state retire health insurance saved tens of millions on the medical due to retirees staying home and skipping doctor visits and routine lab work, mammograms, etc..
The article said some of the excess profit was returned to the state. I think this money should be used to catch up on the dental payments.
==My dentist requires payment upfront because I have state dental and they take an extremely long time to pay.==
I also had this happen several years ago with a dentist I had been to for years. I also changed dentists. I have had requests from my previous dentist to come back but am happy with the new one
so I do not plan to.
I’d find a new dentist. There are plenty of dentists who take state insurance that don’t require you to pay upfront.
- Essential State Employee - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 3:23 pm:
Question on this season’s temporary NHL relignment (including an all-Canadian North division due to the travel ban).
Why is Dallas in the Central but the Blues are put in the West (away from the Blackhawks, Red Wings, etc.)? (Even though the Minnesota Wild are also in the West too). Should the Blues and the Stars have had their divisions flipped?
- striketoo - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 8:14 am:
Sorry for the post about Congress. Hope the GA has adequate security in these dangerous times.
- Club J - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 8:41 am:
So what’s the odds on Darren Bailey not wearing a mask today?
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 8:42 am:
==The Congress spends trillions but can’t put steel doors and unbreakable windows on their own place of work?==
They could learn from Illinois about putting robust doors on the Capitol Building.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:11 am:
“So what’s the odds on Darren Bailey not wearing a mask today?”
I don’t know… will there be a fiery cross??? /s
- OneMan - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:18 am:
== So what’s the odds on Darren Bailey not wearing a mask today? ==
100%
- Cheryl44 - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:19 am:
I’ve been taking this guy’s tours–both walking and now online. He has a new tour coming out next week.
https://www.brickofchicago.com/
Also, the book is very interesting, I’m reading it now.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:21 am:
“Our Capitol has copper doors, so we’re safe, right?”
The video suggests that copper failure was much of the problem.
– MrJM
- @misterjayem - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:24 am:
“Keep it Illinois-centric and polite, please.”
The decision to ban the press from the arena floor is still infuriating.
Many of us don’t have lobbyists and rely on journalists to keep us abreast of what’s happening in the legislature.
– MrJM
- Back to the Future - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:25 am:
Cheryl44
Thanks for the tour info.
Going to sign up.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:28 am:
The eastern bloc and those who continually force wedges with rhetoric are now heading to Springfield.
How they do that without any shame or regret is breathtaking.
I’d ask Miller (no relation to Rich) if he agrees with his wife, a member of Congress, who spoke.
And he may have, but how about doing it live, in front of colleagues, as the body he served meet.
I’d like another chance to hear that from Miller in that framing.
- City Zen - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:32 am:
Whatever the Illini drank at half time last night should be bottled and distributed nationally.
- yinn - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 9:50 am:
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation announced it has worked out a deal with half a dozen banks (via Illinois Bankers Association) to cash “stimulus” checks fee-free for unbanked/underbanked people. Press release (PDF) here: https://tinyurl.com/y27hqud5
Between this and the news about the AG’s unemployment fraud task force, Illinois feels a little more functional today. Like.
- JoanP - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:07 am:
@Cheryl44 -
Brick of Chicago is great. You might enjoy this article from a recent “Atlas Obscura”newsletter: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/brick-collecting
- Cheryl44 - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:12 am:
That’s great, Back! “See” you there.
Thanks Joan!
- Cheryl44 - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:13 am:
Thanks, Joan. That looks interesting. And I’ll “see” you there, Back.
- bogey golfer - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:14 am:
I have to have a root canal perform. The second session will be later this month. I was advised that since I am a State retiree, they will not accept my dental insurance as CMS is taking up to a year to process this work. I will need to take this up with CMS myself.
Anyone else who is experiencing this?
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:22 am:
Bogey golfer-
If you can I would suggest finding a new dentist. I had the similar problem few years back with a dentist I’d had for decades.
Found another, just a few miles away, and she has no problem waiting on the state.
Don’t know if this is an option for you, but an idea.
- IL Worker - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:24 am:
bogey golfer, yes. My dentist requires payment upfront because I have state dental and they take an extremely long time to pay.
- ChicagoVinny - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:39 am:
Cleveland Baseball Team’s salary dump clears the way for a two team race in the AL central.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:58 am:
===CMS is taking up to a year to process this work. ===
How’d you vote on the progressive income tax amendment?
- Lefty Lefty - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:04 am:
Thank you for that link, Cheryl44. I miss my brick Cape Cod and my (almost) entire brick neighborhood on the south side. (Much of the time just the bricks.)
- Anyone Remember - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:10 am:
[This does have an Illinois connection, read to the end.]
Trump not attending the inauguration - does Pat Quinn get a residual for that? /s
- bogey golfer - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:47 am:
=How’d you vote on the progressive income tax amendment?=
Your comment is why the public sector employees are held in poor regard. I’ll give you a second chance to reply - this time without snark.
- DuPage - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 11:50 am:
@- bogey golfer - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 10:14 am:
===I have to have a root canal perform. The second session will be later this month. I was advised that since I am a State retiree, they will not accept my dental insurance as CMS is taking up to a year to process this work. I will need to take this up with CMS myself.
Anyone else who is experiencing this?===
Yes, everyone retired under SERS, TRS, and SURS.,
but it is not CMS causing the delay. The dental
insurance (Delta) pays as soon as the state pays
their insurance bill, which is about a year
behind. Many dentists will take the insurance but
insist on you paying upfront, and they refund
when they get paid, a year or more later.
I have read that the state retire health insurance saved tens of millions on the medical due to retirees staying home and skipping doctor visits and routine lab work, mammograms, etc..
The article said some of the excess profit was returned to the state. I think this money should be used to catch up on the dental payments.
- bogey golfer - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:29 pm:
@ Dupage, Flyin’ Elvis & IL Worker - Thank you. I will be taking this up with my State Rep (Durkin).
- Essential State Employee - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 12:49 pm:
==My dentist requires payment upfront because I have state dental and they take an extremely long time to pay.==
This isn’t a new issue with state employees and dentists. I first experienced this at my former dentist during the early part of the Quinn years.
- rabble - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 3:07 pm:
==My dentist requires payment upfront because I have state dental and they take an extremely long time to pay.==
I also had this happen several years ago with a dentist I had been to for years. I also changed dentists. I have had requests from my previous dentist to come back but am happy with the new one
so I do not plan to.
- Demoralized - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 3:22 pm:
bogey golfer:
I’d find a new dentist. There are plenty of dentists who take state insurance that don’t require you to pay upfront.
- Essential State Employee - Friday, Jan 8, 21 @ 3:23 pm:
Question on this season’s temporary NHL relignment (including an all-Canadian North division due to the travel ban).
Why is Dallas in the Central but the Blues are put in the West (away from the Blackhawks, Red Wings, etc.)? (Even though the Minnesota Wild are also in the West too). Should the Blues and the Stars have had their divisions flipped?