Health fund mistakenly used for Munger’s salary, Rauner aides say

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration had arranged to pay Leslie Munger, his new deputy governor, in part out of an employee health care account that’s more than $4 billion behind on its bills due to the state’s budget crisis.

But after The Associated Press reported Thursday that half of Munger’s $138,000 salary was scheduled to come from a pool of insurance premiums, a spokeswoman for the governor said an agency had “mistakenly” designated the wrong fund and that Munger’s pay would come from elsewhere.

One-third of the $12 billion pile of past-due bills owed by the economically stressed state is due to medical providers.

Munger landed the position with Rauner, her political ally, after losing a special election for state comptroller. Premiums from state employees feed the group health insurance account.

Munger did not return a message seeking comment.

State Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, who is an appropriations committee chairman, earlier had said it’s wrong to use health care money for “a patronage hire.”