Holy smokes. I took two naps and did the New York Times crossword puzzle during the time it took me to read the Filan Retort.
William
· 3 years ago
Simplicity is truth's most becoming garb. And I might add brevity.
I initially wasn't real impressed with Steve (Rauschenberger)'s response, but seeing how this from Filan drones on and on and on and on ...
I have to say that Steve made the better case.
Thanks, Rich.
T.R.
· 3 years ago
Cliff notes???
publius
· 3 years ago
let's just look at a tiny piece of this reply---managed care for medicaid recipients---the administration has decreased the size of the managed care program signicantly and now has aprogram called pccm's ---the program is a sham---it doesnt' provide any means for doctors to actually manage care---puts no oversight or controls on specialist referrals or hospital stays---and simply gives doctors a management fee--and though the program supposedly requires things like 24 hour availability from physicians--the department is ignoring---or"delaying" those things which might make the program have some effect---most other states have real managed care programs which mandate coverage and do---to some extent --- control rising costs.
Wumpus
· 3 years ago
Where is the "don't pay the bills" portion of the Gov's plan?
Also, did Filan take another vacation day to rebut Steve's rebuttal?
Troy News Guy
· 3 years ago
If he did this crap on his own time, he REALLY needs a hobby! The truth is NO ONE can tackle the public trough in Springfield (pork, nepotism, no-bid contracts, ad nauseum) until the average person (not just political junkies) gets involved, realizes the crap going on, gets fed up and registers to vote. Until then, Illinois is doomed to dorks fighting over the spigot. Get me out of here!
Anonymous
· 3 years ago
How did Filan do on his ethics test? He is saying NONE of this was done on state time, equipment or property? REALLY?
Tropy News Guy
· 3 years ago
Hey Illinois....thanks to you, our sick children are pushed to the back of the line at St. Louis hospitals. All our doctors went to Missouri, and now they can't even get paid (more than 200 days since the last check!). I'm serious.... I gotta get out of here!
Louis G. Atsaves
· 3 years ago
I'm very impressed with both, although Filan tends to meander a bit. I got a little tired of the "misleading the taxpayers" or ""flip-flop" start to each section but I understand that he is being partisan at the moment as was Rauschenberger.
Both are very intelligent men with differing viewpoints. The more fiscally responsible viewpoint that gives us the biggest bang for the buck seems to be coming from the Topinka camp right now.
If you can continue to foster such debates Rich not only for Governor but other state offices even state senate and state representative, it would be GREAT!
Keep up the good work!
Scoop
· 3 years ago
I think a debate between these two, on this site, will trump any debate we see on TV between Topinka and Blagojevich.
Rich, will there be more "debates" like this? There should be, bravo.
Wumpus
· 3 years ago
If there were debates, the only viewers would be people who read this site and people who want to learn to do the Rasuchie. Fiscal debates, although critical, do not televise well.
Bubs
· 3 years ago
This was precisely what I thought it would be - long on tedious campaign invective and assignations, and short on details, or explanations of where he gets his numbers from. For example, what the heck do the Blago's campaings false allegations of "flip flopping" have to do with budget numbers?
Overall, a pretty weak, unprofessional effort from a sitting budget director. As usual, everything from the Blagovich Adminstration is on the curve. These guys couldn't draw a straight line with a ruler.
Rich Miller
· 3 years ago
Actually, Bubs, I've read through it twice now and I think Director Filan made some very good points, most of which were based on facts rather than hyperbole. We'll see what Rauschenberger has to say, if he chooses to respond, but I think Filan has the upper hand here.
Of course, we haven't yet turned the two analysts loose on the governor's proposed spending/revenue plans.
Anon2
· 3 years ago
I'm shocked. Filan could not find a single thing that was not misleading, a flip-flop, or based on unrealistic assumptions. Sounds like a credible reveiw and discussion of the issues to me.
I hope the blog debate continues. Maybe Filan can be a bit more professional and articulate in the next go around.
Sound Reasoning
· 3 years ago
Rich, does the Governor have a plan yet? I thought he has refused to provide one until after the election.
Maybe it's easier to pick apart another's plan than provide any reasonable alternative.
Rich Miller
· 3 years ago
Actually, "Sound Reasoning" I just sent an e-mail to Rauschenberger asking if he would pick apart what we know about the governor's plan. I'm also looking at letting the two campaign go after each other on energy and the environment.
Yellow Dog Democrat
· 3 years ago
I agree with Bubs. When do we get to see the numbers that purportedly back up the govenor's lottery proposal?
Jaded
· 3 years ago
I have to agree with Rich, that was a pretty good response by Filan however I would like him to answer his own last question. He wrote:
"How did you determine your revenues and budget cuts? Are they real?†Even Topinka’s spending is misleading and needs clarity, especially her education spending. Claiming it doesn’t make it true. Her budget just doesn’t add up."
That is what people have been saying about your budgets for 4 years now. Claiming it does not make it true Mr. Filan (who know like a Governor who says he has balanced the budget when there was still a $3 billion deficit). I am glad that you finally realize this fact.
anon
· 3 years ago
I'm sorry - if Filans mouth is moving he's lieing.
I mean this is the same guy who said that the states budget was balanced this last year. "we took in more money that we spent" Hell, any one can say that when you only pay interest on all the money we've borrowed the last three years, don't pay $2 BILLION worth of Medicaid bills, and skip a $1 BILLION pension payment.
By the way, didn't Filan use to write for some budget association he use to belong to until he got his pink slip?
Anonymous
· 3 years ago
Home Run by Mr. Filan. Nicely done.
Bubs
· 3 years ago
Rich, he's the budget director and he won't tell us where his numbers are coming from, even when Rauchy challenged him on them!
I'm starting to think "FILAN" is a shorthand for "Frequently Is Loose About Numbers", (and I certainly was temped to use a much stronger word in the middle.)
Downstater
· 3 years ago
Anon 3:16, Take off those rose colored glasses. Didn't you get the memo that Illinois is dead last in the nation in debt liability. Filan can spin all he wants, but eventually this debt that Blago and company has incurred is going to have to be paid off.
bob white
· 3 years ago
I disagree with those who thought Filan's response was strong. I thought it was vague and full of political answers that are besides the point.
Budget Watcher
· 3 years ago
Filan's Medicaid "facts" are far from factual. There was no approved hospital assessment that generated over $600 million. Hospitals did not receive almost $500 million, there is no Developmenal Disabled assessment program worth $40 million, and GRF not not get $80 million. Liar is a pretty strong term, but he's awfully close on these items.
He also refuses to understand the reason for federal block grant funding, which is to replace the funding schemes that he claims will be lost under Topinka's plan. Sometimes I think he's purposely dense.
a friend
· 3 years ago
budget watcher...
...you may need some new glasses. why don't you ask the illinois hospital assn about the 500 mil they're set to lose under topinka's plan, or ask sen. schoenburg (who sponsored the hospital assessment bill) about the 80 mil the state stands to lose -- don't take filan's word for it. get your facts straight for once, please.
also, not a single state in the nation uses a block grant to fund their mediciad programs. I hardly think that 49 other states could all be so wrong...
Little Egypt
· 3 years ago
It was my pleasure to scroll past Filan's crap and read just the bloggers. I agree though that this all could not have been done on his own personal time with his own personal computer.
Shallow Pharnyx
· 3 years ago
Rich, You do realize that Filan had GOMB doing his numbers research?? Who did Rauschenbergers?
Anonymous
· 3 years ago
No flip-flop by Topinka?! Good Lord. As Filan points out, Topinka wants to nearly triple the number of gaming positions, and build the biggest casino yet in Chicago. In the primary she specifically said she was against an expansion of gambling.
Anyone still saying that's not a flip-flop isn't sane.
So Blue Democrat
· 3 years ago
Do you really think Filan wrote this response? No, it was probably want of his young workers in GOMB. If he really wrote it, I think he has too much time on his hands. He needs to worry about the crisis in state government.
zatoichi
· 3 years ago
Where in Filan's response does he discuss how the State's debt will be paid? He goes on about flip flops and faulty assumptions. This would have been a great place to describe how the State will move to 45th place on the national economic ladder.
Budget Watcher
· 3 years ago
To A friend, You can't lose what you never had - there was no assessment for hospitals. None. Wasn't approved by the feds in FY2006. No $500 million to hospitals, no $80 million to GRF, no $40 million to DD facilities, and no $60 million to nursing homes. Schoenberg sponsored the state bill authorizing the HFS to pursue an assessment, but the feds never approved it.
The second point, and I'm typing slow so you can understand, is that a federal block grant would compensate for the foregone funding schemes like assessment taxes and intergovernmental agreements with Cook County and the University of Illinois.
Budget Watcher
· 3 years ago
One last point to a friend. The Comptroller's website can tell you whether hospitals got their money. The fund number is 346, the agency code 478, the division code 65 - submit the query and tell me why there's $1.218 billion in unexpended appropriations for FY06. The answer is because the assessment didn't happen. Check your own facts next time.
a friend
· 3 years ago
budget watcher...
the assessment didn't happen? that's funny considering that every major media outlet reported on the fact that the feds appproved the assessment, not to mention the fact that the hospitals paid the tax needed to generate proceeds off the assessment and then they and the state received the very federal funds that you claim don't exist. I wonder what that extra 80 million supplemental bill passed by the general assembly was for? you obviously have no idea what you are talking about.
a friend
· 3 years ago
budget watcher...
just one more note if you will about block grants. perhaps you didn't take the time to read my previous comments, so i'll return the favor and write slowly here for you as well...not a single state in the nation has adopted a block grant program for medicaid. perhaps you know something that all other 49 governors and general assemblies don't? perhaps you need to spread the block grant gospel to a wider audience because no one seems to hae gotten your memo. call me crazy, but I think you and topinka are in the minority here.
Budget Watcher
· 3 years ago
A friend, Assessments happened in FY05 but not in FY 06. It was a one year deal. One of us knows the facts. Again, if you don't believe me, call HFS tomorrow.
Also, block grant funding will obviously require a federal waiver. Illinois, more than any other state in the union, relies on funding schemes like assessments and intergorvernmental agreements. This makes Illinois reliant upon an inefficiency fee-for-service healthcare delivery model. The General Assembly commissioned a report two years ago by the Lewin Group that backs this up. Block grant funding circumvents this reliance upon funding schemes and would allow HMOs to manage care. The Illinois Hospital Association will hate the idea, so expect them to be critical.
Shallow Pharnyx
· 3 years ago
Rich, Will you be leaving this up over the holiday weekend? Please do.
Shallow Pharnyx
· 3 years ago
A friend? A friend of whom?- Blago? "also, not a single state in the nation uses a block grant to fund their mediciad programs. I hardly think that 49 other states could all be so wrong…" We LIKE being in last place. 49 other states can't keep up with our lack of pension funding.
Raoul Descender
· 3 years ago
Why do we need to have a shaman tell the tale of the numbers? Instead, the state and Mr. Filan's department especially, should produce financial statements and financial projections that are comprehensive and comprehensible. The complexity and tardiness of the state's financial reports obscure the state's real fiscal condition, a tactic that should be a outlawed.
a friend
· 3 years ago
budget watcher...
i'll go at this with you one more time.
obviously I'm talking about 05 since everyone knows the the feds are still reviewing the 06 assessment. from reading the response prepared by filan, he seems to acknolwedge that as well. with hastert and the illinois hospital assn gunning for this, illinois is well positioned to get this approved for 06 (and remember, the hospital assessment is a five year arrangement, but still needs fed approval each of those years). as for block grants, the fee for service system you criticize allows the state to capture far more federal match than a block grant ever would. since the state is entitled to reimburse providers for any and all medicaid services, should the block grant run out we taxpayers are stuck paying the difference. so that means we either cut money from other programs, raise taxes, reduce rates to providers or throw people off healthcare. I don't think most people are ok with any of these sceanrios. as costs for heathcare increase (prescription drugs, medicial services, admin, etc), the fee for service model guarantees that the state receive at least 50 percent back on every dollar they spend. a block grant has zero flexibility for this and states are stuck with whatever congress decides to give us. again, block grants are bad for states and that's why not a one has adopted them.
shallow pharnyx... shame on me for saying anything that might remotely seem supportive of this administration. I'm sure you have no biases, of course. with that said, yes, illinois does have the worst funded pensions, but that's been the case for several years and you may not like accepting the facts (since you seem far more comfortable with empty rhetoric), but it was the republicans and that created this mess over the last 20 years or so. and, the pensions were worse off, dare I day it, before blago. you may not like to hear that, but the truth is often hard to take.
All Comments
I initially wasn't real impressed with Steve (Rauschenberger)'s response, but seeing how this from Filan drones on and on and on and on ...
I have to say that Steve made the better case.
Thanks, Rich.
Also, did Filan take another vacation day to rebut Steve's rebuttal?
Both are very intelligent men with differing viewpoints. The more fiscally responsible viewpoint that gives us the biggest bang for the buck seems to be coming from the Topinka camp right now.
If you can continue to foster such debates Rich not only for Governor but other state offices even state senate and state representative, it would be GREAT!
Keep up the good work!
Rich, will there be more "debates" like this? There should be, bravo.
For example, what the heck do the Blago's campaings false allegations of "flip flopping" have to do with budget numbers?
Overall, a pretty weak, unprofessional effort from a sitting budget director. As usual, everything from the Blagovich Adminstration is on the curve. These guys couldn't draw a straight line with a ruler.
Of course, we haven't yet turned the two analysts loose on the governor's proposed spending/revenue plans.
I hope the blog debate continues. Maybe Filan can be a bit more professional and articulate in the next go around.
Maybe it's easier to pick apart another's plan than provide any reasonable alternative.
"How did you determine your revenues and budget cuts? Are they real?†Even Topinka’s spending is misleading and needs clarity, especially her education spending. Claiming it doesn’t make it true. Her budget just doesn’t add up."
That is what people have been saying about your budgets for 4 years now. Claiming it does not make it true Mr. Filan (who know like a Governor who says he has balanced the budget when there was still a $3 billion deficit). I am glad that you finally realize this fact.
I mean this is the same guy who said that the states budget was balanced this last year. "we took in more money that we spent" Hell, any one can say that when you only pay interest on all the money we've borrowed the last three years, don't pay $2 BILLION worth of Medicaid bills, and skip a $1 BILLION pension payment.
By the way, didn't Filan use to write for some budget association he use to belong to until he got his pink slip?
I'm starting to think "FILAN" is a shorthand for "Frequently Is Loose About Numbers", (and I certainly was temped to use a much stronger word in the middle.)
Take off those rose colored glasses. Didn't you get the memo that Illinois is dead last in the nation in debt liability. Filan can spin all he wants, but eventually this debt that Blago and company has incurred is going to have to be paid off.
He also refuses to understand the reason for federal block grant funding, which is to replace the funding schemes that he claims will be lost under Topinka's plan. Sometimes I think he's purposely dense.
...you may need some new glasses. why don't you ask the illinois hospital assn about the 500 mil they're set to lose under topinka's plan, or ask sen. schoenburg (who sponsored the hospital assessment bill) about the 80 mil the state stands to lose -- don't take filan's word for it. get your facts straight for once, please.
also, not a single state in the nation uses a block grant to fund their mediciad programs. I hardly think that 49 other states could all be so wrong...
You do realize that Filan had GOMB doing his numbers research?? Who did Rauschenbergers?
Anyone still saying that's not a flip-flop isn't sane.
You can't lose what you never had - there was no assessment for hospitals. None. Wasn't approved by the feds in FY2006. No $500 million to hospitals, no $80 million to GRF, no $40 million to DD facilities, and no $60 million to nursing homes. Schoenberg sponsored the state bill authorizing the HFS to pursue an assessment, but the feds never approved it.
The second point, and I'm typing slow so you can understand, is that a federal block grant would compensate for the foregone funding schemes like assessment taxes and intergovernmental agreements with Cook County and the University of Illinois.
the assessment didn't happen? that's funny considering that every major media outlet reported on the fact that the feds appproved the assessment, not to mention the fact that the hospitals paid the tax needed to generate proceeds off the assessment and then they and the state received the very federal funds that you claim don't exist. I wonder what that extra 80 million supplemental bill passed by the general assembly was for? you obviously have no idea what you are talking about.
just one more note if you will about block grants. perhaps you didn't take the time to read my previous comments, so i'll return the favor and write slowly here for you as well...not a single state in the nation has adopted a block grant program for medicaid. perhaps you know something that all other 49 governors and general assemblies don't? perhaps you need to spread the block grant gospel to a wider audience because no one seems to hae gotten your memo. call me crazy, but I think you and topinka are in the minority here.
Assessments happened in FY05 but not in FY 06. It was a one year deal. One of us knows the facts. Again, if you don't believe me, call HFS tomorrow.
Also, block grant funding will obviously require a federal waiver. Illinois, more than any other state in the union, relies on funding schemes like assessments and intergorvernmental agreements. This makes Illinois reliant upon an inefficiency fee-for-service healthcare delivery model. The General Assembly commissioned a report two years ago by the Lewin Group that backs this up. Block grant funding circumvents this reliance upon funding schemes and would allow HMOs to manage care. The Illinois Hospital Association will hate the idea, so expect them to be critical.
Will you be leaving this up over the holiday weekend? Please do.
i'll go at this with you one more time.
obviously I'm talking about 05 since everyone knows the the feds are still reviewing the 06 assessment. from reading the response prepared by filan, he seems to acknolwedge that as well. with hastert and the illinois hospital assn gunning for this, illinois is well positioned to get this approved for 06 (and remember, the hospital assessment is a five year arrangement, but still needs fed approval each of those years). as for block grants, the fee for service system you criticize allows the state to capture far more federal match than a block grant ever would. since the state is entitled to reimburse providers for any and all medicaid services, should the block grant run out we taxpayers are stuck paying the difference. so that means we either cut money from other programs, raise taxes, reduce rates to providers or throw people off healthcare. I don't think most people are ok with any of these sceanrios. as costs for heathcare increase (prescription drugs, medicial services, admin, etc), the fee for service model guarantees that the state receive at least 50 percent back on every dollar they spend. a block grant has zero flexibility for this and states are stuck with whatever congress decides to give us. again, block grants are bad for states and that's why not a one has adopted them.
shallow pharnyx...
shame on me for saying anything that might remotely seem supportive of this administration. I'm sure you have no biases, of course. with that said, yes, illinois does have the worst funded pensions, but that's been the case for several years and you may not like accepting the facts (since you seem far more comfortable with empty rhetoric), but it was the republicans and that created this mess over the last 20 years or so. and, the pensions were worse off, dare I day it, before blago. you may not like to hear that, but the truth is often hard to take.