Chicago Tribune (July 27) – While Illinois’ leaders waged a two-year budget battle, the state fell years behind in reimbursing medical providers for their services, skimping physicians and dentists even if their patients were up-to-date with their premiums. In downstate Urbana-Champaign and Springfield, where dentists are typically out-of-network providers, most U. of I. employees are paying their full tabs upfront and waiting for the state to reimburse them, says Thomas Hardy, a spokesman for the University of Illinois System.
