Health Department Shifts $270,000 to Contracted Medical Providers

Will County Board | September 17, 2026

Article Summary: The Will County Board on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, approved two Will County Health Department budget actions on the Finance Committee’s consent agenda: a $270,000 transfer from unfilled-position salary and benefit lines into contracted professional and medical services, and a $300,000 appropriation tied to the department’s federal 340b drug pricing program.

Health Department Budget Key Points:

• Resolution 26-281 / 26-5354 transfers $270,000 within the fiscal 2026 Health Department budget, as approved by the Will County Board of Health in Resolution #26-35 on Aug. 19, 2026.
• The transfer draws down two full-time salary lines ($52,600 and $110,000), FICA ($3,600), IMRF ($3,800) and two health insurance lines ($10,000 and $90,000), and increases Other Professional Service by $70,000 and Medical Services by $200,000.
• Resolution 26-282 / 26-5372 appropriates an additional $300,000 for the 340b federal drug pricing program, per Board of Health Resolution #26-38, also dated Aug. 19, 2026.
• Both items passed without discussion on the consent agenda.

WILL COUNTY — The Will County Health Department will shift $270,000 out of vacant payroll lines and into contracts for outside clinicians, under a resolution the county board approved Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.

Resolution 26-281 states that the Behavioral Health and Community Health Center divisions of the health department “utilize contracted rapid responders and medical providers necessary for program operations,” that additional funding is needed in the Other Professional Services and Medical Services budget codes “to support on-going expenses,” and that “sufficient funds exist in the full-time salary and fringe benefit budget lines due to unfilled positions.”

The resolution directs the county’s finance department to make the line-item adjustments. On the spending side, Other Professional Service rises by $70,000 and Medical Services by $200,000. The offsetting reductions come from two full-time salary lines totaling $162,600, FICA and Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund contributions totaling $7,400, and health insurance lines totaling $100,000.

The Will County Board of Health approved the same schedule of changes in its Resolution #26-35 on Aug. 19, 2026, under the heading “Approval of the Transfer of Funds – $270,000.” The board of health resolution is signed by Paul Hertzmann as president of the Will County Board of Health.

The companion item, Resolution 26-282, appropriates $300,000 within the same fiscal 2026 budget for the Community Health Center’s participation in the 340b federal drug pricing program, administered by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. The resolution states that the program allows the health center “to purchase outpatient drugs at significantly reduced pricing and generate revenue to support program operations,” and that “through additional clinical programs and expanded pharmacy enrollment, 340b program revenue and expenses exceed budgeted projections.”

On the revenue side, the resolution reduces the Anticipated New Revenue line by $300,000 and increases the 340b Pharmacy Program revenue line by the same amount. On the expense side, Anticipated New Expenses falls by $300,000 and Drugs and Medicine rises by $300,000. The Board of Health approved that appropriation in Resolution #26-38 on Aug. 19, 2026.

Both resolutions state that the Finance Committee concurs with the request. Neither drew comment from board members when Newquist read them as part of the consent agenda; the package was approved on a voice vote.