Illinois nursing homes not getting state money

[cougarnurse]

This is nearly a year old, but still relevant. Also, PA recipients get only $30 a month to spend on themselves. Illinois nursing homes not getting state money : News : WHOI HOI-19

EAST PEORIA -- With millions of dollars in state funds tied up in red tape, some of the state's neediest could soon be in trouble.

Most nursing homes rely on state money to care for their residents but with out it they have been forced to take some drastic measures.
HOI 19 News visited one local nursing home that vows not to let the state's mistakes hurt their residents.

Its lunch time at Fondulac Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in East Peoria, and while things are business as usual for their residents that's not the case in the office.

"It takes a large amount of money to staff a nursing home properly," said Doug Currier, with Petersen Health Systems- which owns and operates Fondulac Rehabilitation and Health Care Center.

Fondulac Rehabilitation and Health Care Center- which is part of the state's largest group of nursing homes hasn't gotten it's state funding in more than 150 days. In fact no nursing homes in Illinois have gotten a check since the first week of November.

"We continue to care for those residents but unfortunately with no income," said Currier.

75% of the residents here are on state aid- and with out the funds from the state- the home is now more than $650,000 in the hole- which means they've had to borrow money to keep the food on these tables and paychecks in the pockets of those who care for their residents.

"What we're forced to do is go out and get loans from our banks that we've borrowed from once for the building or the operations and you're forced to go ask them for some more money to get you through these hard times when the state's not paying," said Currier.

Local lawmakers say the state of Illinois is notoriously slow to hand out money to nursing homes- but this delay is becoming tragic.

"Across the board the state of Illinois does not have a good track record for paying in terms of paying for Medicad recipients- whether its health care or nursing homes- its something quite frankly an embarrassment to use in Illinois," said state senator Dave Koehler.

Koehler says when he heads back to work next month- this will be on the top of his list.

"I want to know specifically, and if not I'll issue a bill myself, what can we do to do a one time catch up and then have some measures in place that prohibit us from sliding back into this bad situation again," said Koehler.

Meanwhile, as the days go by- the nursing home is worried about paying its vendors and wants the governor to release their money.

"When Governor Blagojevich took office he promised that we would have payments with in 60 days, he went on further to say that he was going to push for 45 day payments well 45 days to 150 days doesn't seem to be meeting his promise and what we would like him to do is step up to the plate and do the part that the state of Illinois should be doing," said Currier.

But they say even with out state money- their residents will continue to receive the best care they can give.

To give you an idea about how behind the state of Illinois is on paying nursing homes-- The state of Missouri pays its nursing homes twice a month, while Indiana pays them every 30 days. It has been 150 days since those in Illinois have been paid.

Wonder what the hold up is.....the Gov?