Government Shutdown Worries Ill. Retirees, Workers

The federal government's partial shutdown is worrying some Illinois state workers and retirees.

That's because recipients of various state health insurance programs need to get documents from the IRS by a late October deadline in order to prove that their dependents should still be eligible to receive coverage.
 
The Springfield bureau of Lee Enterprises Newspapers reports the ongoing government shutdown means that the IRS isn't providing the federal transcripts.
 
The audit is being conducted by Illinois Department of Central Management Services, which is paying a Texas company $690,000 to make sure only eligible people get the benefits.

The audit is reviewing membership in four state insurance programs, including the Teachers Retirement Insurance Program and the State Employees Group Insurance Program.

People can request an extension to file the paperwork.