Advocates for senior citizens and people with disabilities are assessing how action today by the Republican governor affects services they say they depend on. Early this year, Gov. Bruce Rauner unveiled a plan to save money, by making it harder for the elderly and disabled individuals to qualify for government aid.
People not deemed needy enough would no longer receive state-provided home care workers, or state-paid nursing home care. The legislature didn't like that idea, and passed a measure that would require eligibility remain at the status quo.
Rauner could have used his veto pen to reject the bill outright. Instead, he amended it. On its face, it appears Rauner is limiting coverage to either home, or nursing home, care. But the AARP and other advocates say they're still analyzing, it could be that the governor's changes would run afoul of federal law, or that it's a different way of meeting his initial, tougher eligibility goal.
The measure's sponsor, Rep. Greg Harris, a Chicago Democrat, says he's reviewing it too.
"We need to be very careful, because this is too important a topic to not study very carefully and look at all the implications of."
Lawmakers could revisit the measure on Tuesday, when they meet for a one day session.
