Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Last week, Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration announced it wasn’t going to wait for federal government approval to implement Medicaid fraud rules. The feds wanted yet another study before agreeing to allow Illinois to check residency and income status before adding people to the Medicaid rolls…

[Federal] officials wanted another study of the Illinois proposals, but [Julie Hamos, director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services] said she feared that six months from now “we would still be tearing our hair out and saying, ‘Where is the approval?’”

Medicaid is Illinois’ single biggest operating expense, a $14 billion program with 2.7 million people on the rolls. That’s 1 in 5 Illinois residents.

It is a lifeline for many poor people. But there’s good reason to think that many people are getting Medicaid from Illinois who don’t qualify for it — who don’t even live in Illinois. In a letter to federal authorities, Hamos revealed that about 6 percent of Medicaid identification cards sent to Illinois households in November bounced back as “undeliverable with out-of-state addresses.”

* And, now, Quinn is looking to at least temporarily bypass the General Assembly on setting up a new health insurance exchange…

Gov. Pat Quinn is weighing whether to use an executive order to jump-start planning for Illinois’ health insurance exchange, a move that could rankle both state legislators and business groups.

In an apparent sign of impatience with the slow-moving Illinois General Assembly, a spokeswoman for the governor said the administration may use the order to create the “skeleton” of an exchange, which would allow staff to push forward with planning efforts.

That option immediately drew criticism.

“We would not favor that approach,” said Laura Minzer, executive director of the Health Care Council of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. […]

Jim Duffett, executive director of the Champaign-based campaign, called creating the exchange via an order “a very viable thing” that would “move the process forward.”

Duffet has been arguing that business interests have too tightly controlled the legislative process to create the exchange. which is required under the federal health insurance reform law.

* What do you think? Do these actions show that Pat Quinn is acting more like a governor, or is it just my imagination?

* Related. and a Statehouse roundup…

* ADDED: Illinois could divert tax refunds of city debtors

* Cellini’s wife off preservation agency board: Without fanfare, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn filed a notice with the secretary of state that he was making a new appointment to the spot held by Julie Cellini, whose term had expired.

* Illinois chamber joins lawsuit over ‘Obamacare’

* Business group wants quick decision on health care

* Editorial: Citizens deserve power to enact ethics reforms

* Constitutionality of Illinois eavesdropping law challenged in court - Attorney argues statute ‘not designed to protect police conduct that is open and in public,’ should not prohibit audio recording

* Lawmaker proposes new solution to distracted driving in Illinois

* High-tech car gadgets distracting, experts say

* Another plan floated to ground state’s air fleet

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*** UPDATED x2 - It’s 6, not 5 *** Another Quinncidence?

Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Dear top-level Pat Quinn administration official,

I contacted you last week to ask about rumors that former Rep. Bob Flider would be named as the state’s Agriculture Director. You waved me off the story.

Bite me…

Former state Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, will be named Wednesday director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, an official in the administration of Gov. Pat Quinn said.

Flider has apparently been sitting in cold storage over at Connected Illinois while waiting for the heat to die down over his vote to raise the income tax in the 2011 lame duck session. Flider lost his reelection bid in 2010 after campaigning against a tax hike…

Speaking in October [of 20100, Flider called the income tax hike proposed by Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn “the absolute last thing we need to be doing” and urged the state to “eliminate waste” and make “hard choices.”

Flider might have been given the Ag spot or another top job after he left office, but Quinn stirred up a huge media controversy by appointing former Rep. Careen Gordon to the llinois Prisoner Review Board. Gordon also lost her 2010 race and then voted for the tax hike. Her appointment came three days after that vote. Quinn then waited six months before appointing former Rep Mike Smith to the Educational Labor Relations Board. Smith was another lame duck who voted “Yes” to raise the income tax.

* All told, 12 lame duck House members voted for the tax increase. Counting Flider, five have now received public payroll jobs (Gordon, Smith, John O’Sullivan, Michael Carberry). The husband of former Rep. Betsy Hannig is now Quinn’s legislative director, but that’s not exactly connected. Quinn needed Hannig a whole lot more than Hannig needed Quinn.

*** UPDATE 1 *** I missed one, so it’s six of the twelve, not five. Thanks to a commenter for pointing out that former Rep. David Miller was hired by IDPH.

*** UPDATE 2 *** The governor’s office asked if I would pretty please post these nice things people are saying about Flider. Here you go…

“Bob Flider worked well in the agricultural arena when he served in the General Assembly and on the House Agriculture committee. Bob’s door was always open and we look forward to working with him in his new role as Director of the Department of Agriculture,” said Philip Nelson, President of the Illinois Farm Bureau. “We look forward to sitting down and addressing the many needs of agriculture with him.”

“The Illinois Soybean Association is pleased to support the appointment of a new director of agriculture who comes from the heart of Illinois soybean production and processing. It’s important for Illinois soybean producers to have a strong leader to help grow animal agriculture, improve crucial transportation infrastructure and lead the industry. We look forward to working with Director Flider on issues that promote a healthy food production system in Illinois.” –Matt Hughes, Illinois Soybean Association chairman from Shirley, Illinois

“Bob has a thorough understanding of the issues facing agriculture and agri-business, and he will be a strong advocate for all the state’s agricultural sectors as Director,” said Chris Olsen, Vice President of Community and Government Affairs at Tate & Lyle.

“Bob has lived most of his life in a rural area and represented a rural district as a state legislator, which makes him very familiar with issues important to farmers,” President and CEO of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives Duane Noland said. “He has also been in public service for a long time. He knows his way around the Capitol as well as the rural areas, so he will be very effective in his new role.”

“Bob was always someone that was supportive and understanding of issues impacting agriculture when he was a member of the General Assembly,” said Jim Kaitschuk, Executive Director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association. “He certainly has the knowledge and understanding of the legislative dynamics, as well as how important agriculture is to the viability of Illinois. These tools will be essential in helping him continue his positive relationship with agriculture and working with the many dedicated people in the industry and within the Department.”

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