SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Despite having a nearly $3 billion backlog of unpaid medical bills for state employees, retirees and their dependents, the state was able to find some savings in health plans.

A recent report from the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability about the state’s employee group health insurance program isn’t all bad news.

COGFA Executive Director Jim Long says a recent audit was able to weed out thousands of people who weren’t supposed to be included in the state’s group insurance plan, resulting in significant savings.

Meanwhile, Long says the state was able to find an estimated quarter of a billion dollars in savings over several years by switching all state retirees to the Medicare Advantage Program.

However, Illinois is still dogged without an appropriation to pay claims that are more than a year old in some cases.