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DHS plans to convert all grant programs to
fee for service for the coming fiscal year starting in July 2004. Grants
are going away so that the maximal amount of money that can be billed
through Medicaid will be. This comes at a time the Federal government is
looking to cap Medicaid billings by states.
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The DHS staff making these decisions are
on a fast track to understand the impact of these changes.
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There is a very real push for
accountability and competition. During the Governor’s State of the Union
address he said that social service programs should not expect to be
funded just because they always have been. Blagojevich defines social
service far beyond community-based programs. There are numerous small
fly-by-night operators. Funding decisions are coming down to what have you
done to prove what you do makes a difference in peoples lives.
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IARF
has had three pieces of legislation introduced that are having huge impact
on the budget process:
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HB 4419 (Daniels) delays DHS’s RFP process
until a cost benefit analysis is completed and all new RFPs are based on
that analysis.
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HB 5000 (Daniels) prohibits any new RFPs
for FY 06 until a cost benefit analysis and a consumer satisfaction for FY
05 RFP are completed and reported to the Governor and the General
Assembly.
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SB2281 (Schoenberg) and SB 2975 (Jones)
break DHS into the Department of Community Disability Health Care and the
Department of State Facilities for DD and MH. Both of these are in Rules
Committee and House DD& MI committee with strong legislative support.
Illinois
