Even though the state of Illinois has not passed a budget for fiscal year 2016, medical, prescription, dental and vision plan services will continue.

According to a memo posted in Benefits Services university newsletter this situation may have an impact on anyone making use of one of the self-insured plans.

These include Cigna, HealthLink OAP, Coventry OAP and Delta Dental.

According to an informational notice from the Central Management Service, the state employees group insurance program has been underfunded over the past decade, and until this point, the CMS has been able to make delayed but regular health care payments.

Because the funding for Fiscal Year 2015 has been exhausted, there is no way for the CMS to make regular payments to healthcare vendors until the General Assembly passes a budget for fiscal year 2016.

“We are working diligently with the plan administrators contracted with the state to continue to provide these vital services without disruption,” the CMS said. “CMS is available to assist members and to work with the healthcare plans to keep services continuing without interruption as much as possible.”

Jon Blitz, president of the University Professionals of Illinois, said there was an appropriations bill funding the CMS.

“They’re the people in Springfield who pay for the state insurance, they manage all that,” Blitz said. “So there was a bill to fund them for this year, which Governor Rauner vetoed.”

Blitz said this means the CMS is running out of money.

Blitz received a note from the president of the state-wide UPI, who oversees a number of universities, Eastern being one them, saying they are undergoing legal action to make sure people’s health insurance is covered.

“If anyone is denied health coverage or is required to pay upfront as a result of the lack of funding for state insurance, please contact me,” Blitz said.

Blitz said UPI is very concerned, and there has been a little bit of talk, but not a lot about the state of health care insurance.

“It’s a little different in a place like Charleston,” Blitz said. “If Sarah Bush denied health coverage to employees, they’re slitting their own throats because we’re a bunch of people who are employed by the state.”

Blitz said to the extent they can, they will do what they can to do because they do not want to eliminate state employees.

This issue is not just centered around Eastern.

“It’s not just EIU, it’s the entire state,” Blitz said. “The estimate is about 350,000 people are affected by this.”

In an informational notice sent out by the CMS, they said that the medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage has not been stopped or reduced for covered plan participants.

“We are working diligently with the plan administrator’s contracted with the State to continue to provide these vital services without disruption,” the CMS said. “CMS is available to assist members and to work with the health care plans to keep services continuing without interruption as much as possible.”

The state of Illinois will continue to release payments for healthcare services when a budget is approved and they have appropriate funding.

“Employee health care insurance is extremely important to us and we understand how critical it is to maintain coverage for all of our plan participants,” CMS said. “We will continue to do everything in our power to mitigate the impact on you as we navigate through this budget impasse.”

Cassie Buchman can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]