© 2024 WNIJ and WNIU
Northern Public Radio
801 N 1st St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-9000
Northern Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Illinois House OKs Plan For Medicaid Hospital Financing

Flickr User Jennifer Morrow / (CC X 2.0)

The Illinois House has approved a revised plan to access federal Medicaid money for hospitals.

The plan OK'd Wednesday would provide $3.5 billion in state and federal money for about 200 hospitals. It answers federal requirements that more Medicaid patients be covered by managed-care programs.

The House voted 107-7 for the plan. Hospitals pay an assessment upfront that's matched by federal funds.

Chicago Democratic Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago says his plan provides 58 percent of the money will go to hospitals serving impoverished urban areas and others in rural areas which often are the only health care facilities for miles around.

But the revamped formula would still force closures of two hospitals.

The House OK'd a second plan 110-0 to authorize state officials to monitor managed-care claims and denials.

Related Stories