*** UPDATE *** From a press release…
TOPINKA: DEVELOPMENTALLY
DISABLED WILL BE PRIORITIZED
Comptroller orders immediate payment for programs
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka on Tuesday announced that she has directed her staff to prioritize payments for day programs, child group homes, community living facilities, and other programs serving the developmentally disabled.
The direction from the state Fiscal Officer comes after the Department of Human Services notified service providers of payment delays caused by an insufficient appropriation in the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. The Department noted that payments would not be processed until after July 1, and then be subject to ongoing state payment delays.
Topinka said her office will immediately begin making payments when the new fiscal year begins July 1.
“Those serving the Developmentally Disabled should know that we will make their payments as soon as the information reaches our door,” said Topinka, noting her policy of prioritizing payment for the state’s most vulnerable residents. “People literally rely on these programs for survival, and they will take priority.”
Topinka noted that while services for the Developmentally Disabled will be prioritized, her office today has more than 164,000 unpaid bills totaling $4.4 billion to businesses, schools, hospitals and service agencies throughout the state. When additional bills at state agencies are added in, including $1.5 billion in past due Medicaid payments, the state bill backlog reaches an estimated $8.5 billion.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* As you already know, the Quinn administration is defending itself against charges that it is needlessly and perhaps even dangerously rushing transfers of developmentally disabled state facility residents to private group homes. And now, the Quinn administration is admitting that providers of services for the developmentally disabled won’t be paid this month…
The state of Illinois has informed developmental-disability providers that it can’t pay them for a month of services this fiscal year.
Service providers, such as Developmental Services Center in Champaign, were notified by letter from the Department of Human Services on Monday. Here is a link to the letter.
Department officials could not be reached for comment this morning, but Kevin Casey, director of the division of developmental disabilities, states in the letter that pediatric intermediate care facilities will experience about four-and-a-half months delay in funding.
Among those services that won’t be fully paid for the current fiscal year ending June 30 are child group homes, community living facilities, therapies, equipment, training and individual support services.
From the letter…
The deferred payments will not be processed until after July 1, 2012, and after the State Fiscal Year 2013 budget is finalized. When the payments are submitted in FY13, they will still be subject to the ongoing delays at the Comptroller’s Office based on the receipt of State revenues.
Please be aware that this deferral of payments will delay all DD payments, including those to Providers with an Expedited Payment status. Expedited payment status serves to expedite the release of payment requests submitted to the Comptroller’s Office. Because DHS will be unable to submit the deferrals to the Comptroller until FY13, all deferred payments will be delayed
Sheesh.
