By KELLY WILSON

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes says his office gets hundreds, if not thousands, of phone calls from health-care providers regarding their frustration with late Medicaid payments and inadequate reimbursements.

"We make our providers wait five, eight, 10 months to get paid. That's an injustice and it has to end," said Hynes, who visited with Blessing Hospital administrators for about 90 minutes on Monday.

Hynes said the Medicaid issue has been a pet peeve of his for the nine years he's been in office, and he told Blessing administrators that he's trying to galvanize support for a plan to help providers get paid in a more timely manner.

At Blessing, Medicaid payments are about 130 days behind, "and it keeps eking up," said Tim Moore, chief accounting officer.

In terms of reimbursements, Moore said it costs Blessing $2.5 million a month to provide care to Medicaid patients, but the hospital receives just 45 percent of that from the state in reimbursement.

Hynes met with Moore, as well as Brad Billings, president and chief executive officer of Blessing Corporate Services, Maureen Kahn, president and chief executive officer of Blessing Hospital, and Pat Gerveler, Blessing's chief financial officer.

"It's not a new issue," Kahn said of the late and inadequate Medicaid payments. "If there is anything good to come out of (the meeting), it's building a relationship with the comptroller. ... And the fact that somebody is willing to talk out loud (about the issue) is very positive."

Hynes admits that he's met resistance when trying to work with legislators to pass a bill that would help solve the problem, but believes he would have more luck "if there is a coming together of forces."

Gerveler said he appreciated the fact that Hynes realizes the crisis is "too big to solve in one year. ... he's looking for a multi-year approach."

Hynes also spent time at Western Illinois University in Macomb on Monday to discuss higher education issues with WIU President Al Goldfarb and some top members of his staff.

Hynes called on Gov. Rod Blagojevich to invest in the state's future by giving the state's colleges all of the funding they were promised in the fiscal 2008 budget.

"The governor says we can't afford to give colleges and universities the state assistance they promised this year," Hynes said. "I say we can't afford not to. I say investing in our colleges and universities is one of the best investments the state can make to help ensure a thriving economy and a solid future for the next generation."

It's been reported that upward of $100 million of higher education funding is being targeted for cutback. The governor has said he must make the cuts to help plug a budgetary hole.

"Our colleges and universities already are receiving less funding from the state this fiscal year than they did five years ago," Hynes said. "At the same time average tuition costs have increased well over 50 percent. This misguided threat by the governor would put our institutions of higher learning even further behind financially and put the dream of a college education out of reach for many students."

-- kwilson@whig.com/221-3391