From the Office of Governor Pat Quinn
CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn announced that starting today, nursing homes and hospitals long waiting for payments from the State of Illinois will begin to receive money thanks to funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). With dollars from the ARRA, Illinois will reduce the payment cycle for hospitals and nursing homes to less than 30 days by June 1, 2009.
“The State of Illinois is committed to paying its bills,” said Governor Pat Quinn. “Medical providers are struggling in this economy, and they are counting on the state to pay its bills on time so that they can keep their doors open for people in need of care. This is a promising first step toward reducing the payment cycle and to meeting our commitment to paying providers in 30 days or less.”
Today, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will draw over $200 million of additional federal reimbursement for bills paid back to October 1, 2008, allowing the state to pay many past due nursing home and hospital bills. For example, before today, nursing homes were waiting up to 150 days to receive payment.
Under the ARRA, the federal reimbursement rate for Medicaid increased from approximately 50 percent to about 60 percent.
For more information about the increased federal matching rate included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, please visit the Recovery Illinois Web site at www.Recovery.Illinois.gov.
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