Seven Central Illinois lawmakers agree on the latest turn in the health insurance contract fight.

"Let me start by saying we’re sorry. This is an embarrassing moment for the State of Illinois,” State Senator Bill Brady said. He the other lawmakers, speaking in Normal today, say they’ll have to put pressure on the governor’s office to fix the issue. State Representative Bill Mitchell says the healthcare provider switch affects people’s lives, and he doesn’t think the governor understands that. 

 “So, I’ve invited Governor Quinn, and I invite him today, to come to downstate Illinois, come to my district, and why don’t you take questions from these people who don’t know where their healthcare is gonna come from.”

 The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability unanimously approved a plan at an emergency hearing Tuesday in Chicago. The vote gives the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services the power to negotiate 90-day health insurance contracts that will start July 1. Officials say without the new contracts, thousands of state employees would’ve been forced to choose new health care providers that, in some cases, were far from their existing ones. 

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