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Quinn says 2.7 billion dollars needs to be cut

Governor Outlines Medicaid Cuts

By WEEK Producer
April 19, 2012 Updated Apr 19, 2012 at 10:48 PM CDT

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Governor Pat Quinn wants to end some health-care services for more than 300-thousand Illinoisans and increase the cigarette tax.

Quinn today outlined two-point-seven billion dollars in savings he says are necessary to prevent the collapse of the Medicaid system in Illinois.

Here's how Quinn plans to achieve two-point-seven billion dollars in savings:

Cuts and reductions to 58 Medicaid programs: 1-point-35 billion dollars.

Rate reductions to Medicaid providers: 675 million dollars;

Hike the state cigarette tax by a one dollar a pack: 337.5 million dollars, plus a federal match of 337 million for the revenue increase.

Quinn said, "Raising cigarette taxes, you know, we are 32nd in terms of taxes. 31 other states have higher cigarette taxes than we do"

Quinn's proposals to deal with Illinois other big budget problem...pension reform will come in a news conference Friday.

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