Responding to the significant need to provide for the health care of Illinois’ elderly, Sen. Mattie Hunterbacked legislation offering relief for the Illinois Department on Aging’s Community Care Program that offers in-home care and community-based services for senior citizens.

“This issue is important to me and the 3rd District I represent that maintains one of the highest populations of residents receiving Medicaid and where many residents benefit from the senior home health services provided with this program,” Hunter said. “That’s what I support and that’s what we here in the General Assembly are accomplishing with this effort.”

The measure, HB 207, allots $173 million in General Revenue Funds for the Dept. on Aging’s Community Care Program serving an estimated 84,400 individuals that was severely underfunded in the original FY 13 budget proposal. 

“I’m promoting this initiative because, as a longtime champion of healthcare issues here in the Senate, this action toward fiscal responsibility by providing for reduction of the Department on Aging’s bill backlog is also going to accomplish greater resources for taking care of our seniors,” Hunter said.

HB 207 also provides $151 million GRF to the Healthcare Provider Relief fund with the intent of reimbursement for medical providers for the services they provide Medicaid patients.

Without this supplemental appropriation by the General Assembly, the Department on Aging is estimated to have over $317 million in backlogged bills by June 30, 2013. With this additional appropriation, the bill backlog reduces to nearly $144 million.

HB 207 was approved by the Senate unanimously and now awaits the approval of Governor Pat Quinn.