Governor Bruce Rauner is broadening the role of private companies in Illinois’ Medicaid program. But Democrats say he’s using the state’s lack of a budget to avoid transparency. Medicaid is one of the largest pieces of the state’s budget, and Democrats say the governor is trying to significantly alter the way the program is managed.
Senator Martin Sandoval, from Chicago, says Rauner is also bypassing normal review channels.
“This is a hostile takeover of the Medicaid program in the state of Illinois without any consultation with the legislature. We have an obligation by statute to have a say in how to manage healthcare.”
Rauner is putting more Medicaid recipients under private administrators, and limiting the number of companies. The governor says that’ll allow better care for less money, and that thinning the herd will help with efficiency.
