A new law that would end state payments to benefit recipients who are deceased could save taxpayers millions of dollars.
House Bill 3311, signed by the Governor on July 21, requires the Department of Human Services and the Department of Public Health to cross-reference public aid recipients with the names of those who state records indicate are dead. Records of the deceased are kept by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
A year ago, the media reported the payment of millions of dollars in state medical care benefits to people who were dead. One report, citing the Auditor General, indicated state government paid out millions during Fiscal Year 2014 to more than 1,100 people who were deceased. Another story by the Chicago Tribune stated that nearly 6,000 people known to be deceased were considered eligible for state medical services.
And as recently as May, the Auditor General highlighted state spending of more than $320,000 by the Illinois Department on Aging for services for people who were dead.