Pay for road builders like health care

With Illinois in the midst of a budget crisis and plans under way to make widespread deep cuts in payments to hospitals, doctors and other health services providers, Gov. Quinn announced that $40 million will be spent on an engineering study of the Circle Interchange. Did he say $40 million? For just the engineering study? With not a single bit of actual construction included?

Rather than further cutting fees to health care professionals who are already getting paid pennies on the dollar, if at all, the governor should reassess how the state awards and pays for road and building construction.

Instead of allowing bids or awarding contracts to companies with political connections, the state should do as they do with Medicaid; set outrageously low fees and force construction companies to accept the fee if they want to perform any construction work, public or private, in the state.

The companies can choose to accept the fee schedule or move out of state. The state could save billions of dollars this way and the budget crisis would be one step closer to resolution.

Dr. Ronald L. Hirsch

Elgin