Illinois hospitals didn't want to get less for treating Medicaid patients, so they accepted a longer wait for the same pay.

But that wait is getting longer. Governor Pat Quinn's decision to spend $276-million dollars less on medicaid is going to draw the payment cycle out to 162 day for most hospitals. The state's safety net hospitals, those with huge Medicaid populations, will be spared.

But that doesn't help Greg Pagliuzza with Trinity Regional health Systems in the Quad Cities.

[audio:070611GregPagliuzza2.mp3]A Word From Pagliuzza[/audio]

Quinn's administration said there's little choice. The delayed payments will push $1-point-4 billion dollars into the next budget.

Danny Chun with the Illinois Hospital Association said facilities in the state just could not handle lower payments.

[audio:070611Chun1.mp3]A Word From Chun[/audio]

Illinois is no stranger to late Medicaid payments. In 2008 the wait was six months or more form some hospitals.