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Hospitals Feeling The Pinch As Budget Fight Continues

(CBS) -- Think the state budget mess won't impact your life? It could if you are hurt and need to go to the hospital.

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.

It's a busy day in the ER at Presence Mercy Medical Center in Aurora. So far, the state's budget impasse and stalled Medicaid payments haven't affected the hospital.

That could change. CEO Michael Brown says the hospital can hold out for a few months without the state reimbursements for Medicaid expenses.

No state budget essentially means frozen Medicaid funds for Illinois' 3.2 million recipients.

The Medicaid situation became so dire at Chicago's Roseland Community Hospital that its CEO was on record saying the hospital would close if something didn't change.

Thursday morning, a federal judge stepped in, ruling the state had to pay for Medicaid services despite the lack of a budget, but only in Cook County. That's good for Roseland but potentially bad for collar county hospitals.

A.J. Wilhelmi of the Illinois Hospital Association hopes the governor extends Medicaid payments statewide to avoid a care crisis or cuts to services.

For those keeping track, Illinois has now gone 23 days without a budget.

Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for the Illinois Health and Human Services Department said the agency is reviewing the judge's order and will respond accordingly.

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