Over the last several weeks, many California providers struggled as they waited for state legislators to resolve a budget crisis and pay them what they were owed. Now, it seems Illinois providers are facing a similar ordeal.
Illinois hospitals, particularly those serving the poor, are facing major shortfalls as they wait for their share of the state's $1.2 billion disproportionate share fund. While the funds have been appropriated, the law authorizing the payments wasn't signed by the governor until Aug. 13. Now, state officials will have to obtain a $1.2 billion loan to make its payments, and so far, their efforts have fallen through. It's not clear when the state will be able to resolve the problem, but it's looking like it could take some time before the loan is reeled in.
To learn more about the funding problem:
- read this article from the Chicago Tribune
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