A $400-million budget diversion engineered by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has aided poor adults and families needing health insurance but delayed payments to state-supported addiction treatment programs, the State Journal-Register reported Nov. 30.

Stephen Knox, CEO of Springfield's Triangle Center, said the delay in state payments is the worst he has experienced in 20 years, with the state $700,000 behind in payments to Triangle. The treatment program, which has a total budget of about $3.2 million, hasn't received a significant state payment since August.

"The governor is on the road, trying to expand healthcare programs in Illinois," Knox said. "I would like to remind him that alcohol and drug care is health care. The debt needs to be paid down before you expand."

Peggy Powers, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, said programs statewide are waiting 60 days or longer for the state to pay for services for low-income clients. Some are taking loans, dipping into bank accounts, laying off staff, or extending waiting lists as they wait for an estimated $27 million in state funding.

Powers said that existing providers should get paid before the governor considers expanding healthcare coverage in other areas. "It's absurd to cut health care to bolster health care," she said.