The state’s debt to health care providers continues to balloon as budget talks between the governor and legislators stall.

The Illinois Legislature’s bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability reported back in July that payment delays to insurance companies and providers for state employee health care now stretch up to 1½ years and will get worse.

Currently, the amount owed by the state is growing by about $200 million a month and won’t stop until there are designated funds to pay the bills.