Audit: Illinois Overdrew Federal Medicaid Dollars
Federal auditors have found that Illinois used faulty methods for withdrawing federal Medicaid money, resulting in overdraws the state later had trouble repaying.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General released the report Monday. The report says Illinois created "a perpetual 'treadmill effect" as it continued to overdraw and repay later.
The state's withdrawals exceeded its spending by an average of $60 million per quarter during the three years reviewed by the auditors.
The report says the federal government may have lost as much as $792,000 in interest because the state repaid the money two to six months later.
Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Julie Hamos said in a response to the audit that her department is addressing the problem.
Links
- States Experiment With Health Savings Accounts For Medicaid
- Quinn Signs Illinois Medicaid Cuts Restoration
- Audit: $12.3M Illinois Medicaid Benefits To Dead
- House Votes To Undo Medicaid Cuts On Adult Dental, Podiatry
- Illinois Democrats Discussing Medicaid Expansion
- Illinois Medicaid Applicants Face Long Wait for Benefits
- Gov. Quinn: New Controls After Medicaid Paid For Dead