Day: June 30, 2019

Unanswered Questions Remain After Scathing Report On Cook County Health – WBEZ

June 30, 2019 2 Comments

Among Inspector General Blanchard’s most significant findings: CountyCare finished the 2018 budget year owing hospitals and other vendors nearly $701 million. The backlog was so bad that some vendors cut off supplies, resulting in a shortage of pacemakers and anesthesia for surgeries, Blanchard alleges.

The investigation also raised concerns about whether the county health system is shuffling money around in order to make its finances appear rosier than they really are.

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U.S. Supreme Court will hear case over the collapse of health insurer Land of Lincoln – Chicago Tribune

June 30, 2019 No Comments

“As a result of the Government’s breach of its obligations, Land of Lincoln was ultimately driven into liquidation in 2016,” lawyers for Land of Lincoln wrote in the petition for its case to be heard by the Supreme Court. “More than 50,000 policyholders were left without health insurance in October of the coverage year, and many forced to endure additional healthcare expenses.”

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Obama Foundation fundraising down in 2018, pay for top staffers went up – Chicago Sun-Times

June 30, 2019 3 Comments

Contributions dropped by $68 million, but look at these salaries:

  • David Simas, chief executive officer — $641,846 in 2018, up from $614,636 the previous year.
  • Robbin Cohen, executive director — $589,971, up from $562,055. Cohen’s total pay package in 2017 was $862,055, including a onetime $300,000 bonus; she was not paid by the foundation in 2014, its first year.
  • Glenn Brown, chief digital officer — $445,807, up from $378,519.
  • Anne Filipic, chief program officer — $413,711 in her first full year.
  • Michael Strautmanis, civic engagement vice president — $305,785, up from $292,044.
  • Bernadette
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State pension funding gap – Pew Charitable Trusts

June 30, 2019 No Comments

Comment: This report reiterates what we’ve been saying — that our supposed “full funding” of pensions is baloney. “Although Illinois has had a recent track record of meeting the contributions required by the state’s funding plan, those payments were insufficient to make progress on paying down the state’s pension debt. In fact, its pension debt has grown, driven by the state’s contribution policy and practices.

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