Citizens auditing committees could yield big savings for taxpayers

By Brian Costin

08/30/2014

With improved state transparency laws and communities all over Illinois voluntarily becoming more transparent online, there’s never been a better time for citizens to get involved and hold local government accountable. But simply advocating for transparent government isn’t enough to identify waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Ultimately, government watchdogs must make use of...

TAGS: audit, good government, transparency, waste

Nearly 72 percent of Illinois Medicaid cases reviewed last week had eligibility errors

By Jonathan Ingram

10/02/2013

In January, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, or HFS, began a new project verifying eligibility for Illinois’ 2.7 million Medicaid enrollees. For years, state workers had failed to take adequate steps to ensure the people receiving Medicaid benefits were actually eligible for the program. As an Auditor General report noted, state workers failed to...

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, audit, Medicaid

More than 150,000 Medicaid enrollees found ineligible for the program

By Jonathan Ingram

09/26/2013

In January, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, or HFS, began a new project verifying eligibility for Illinois’ 2.7 million Medicaid enrollees. For years, state workers had failed to take adequate steps to ensure the people receiving Medicaid benefits were actually eligible for the program. As an Auditor General report noted, state workers failed to...

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, audit, HFS: Healthcare and Family Services, Medicaid, Pat Quinn

Institute on ABC 20: Auditor position vacant at 3 out of 5 state pension funds

12/31/2012

Illinois Policy Institute Executive Vice President, Kristina Rasmussen, appeared on ABC 20 to discuss the Auditor General’s report, which found that Illinois’ unfunded pension liability grew nearly $12 billion in fiscal year 2012. The unfunded liability in the state’s retirement systems has ballooned by nearly $12 billion in the last budget year. That’s according to...

TAGS: audit

Common-ground solutions to empower Chicago’s poor: A model for America’s cities

Report Archive

Brashen Gilbert

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students