Senate moves to override governor’s veto of SB 321

SPRINGFIELD — Taxpayers and Medicaid recipients would benefit from a measure sponsored by State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) that would provide increased transparency to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Medicaid managed care program. The Senate voted to override the governor’s veto of this legislation today.  

“The governor attempted to put a multibillion dollar industry before the needs of taxpayers and Medicaid recipients,” Murphy said. “This legislation works to ensure that contractual requirements are met by Medicaid managed care organizations, that the program runs cost-effectively and that participants receive the best care possible.”

Senate Bill 321 would require the auditor general to audit the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Medicaid managed care program. Performance audits can only be conducted at the request of the General Assembly or the Audit Commission and generally take one year to complete. The auditor general completes financial audits yearly and compliance audits every two years for most agencies.

“The governor claims that a performance audit is ‘expensive’ and ‘unnecessary,’” Murphy said. “I believe that transparency and ensuring our tax dollars are being properly spent is worth the cost of investigating. It is absurd that a governor that declares that Illinois is ‘broken’ is unwilling to investigate if one of its largest contracts is running properly.”

Senate Bill 321 now moves to the House for further consideration.

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State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) hosted three town hall meetings this week to discuss the state budget, school funding reform and other issues facing our state.

Murphy held the town halls across her district in Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village and her hometown of Des Plaines.

“In-person town hall meeting are a fundamental way to get feedback from the constituents I represent,” Murphy said. “Thank you to everyone who attended to discuss the critical issues we are facing.”

Discussions centered largely on the ongoing state budget stalemate and school funding reform proposal that passed in both houses of the General Assembly in late May.

Murphy also offered an in-depth look at the state budget impasse with a presentation about the state’s spending priorities and the long term cost the state budget will have on Illinois families.

While Sen. Murphy’s first series of town hall meetings has concluded, she looks forward to hosting more meetings in the future.

Murphy’s key legislative initiatives this spring included increasing women’s access to health care, protecting First Amendment rights and increasing the transparency and accountability of Medicaid contracts.