Because those expenditures are several billion more a year than the state is taking in, the backlog of bills has climbed to more than $15 billion. That's forced those who provide goods and services for the state to wait six months or more to be paid, meaning some businesses and service providers have had to cut services, exhaust lines of credit or lay off workers. The situation could get more precarious Wednesday as Medicaid providers ask a federal judge to require the state to pay them quicker, which could result in about $550 million more a month in state money going out the door.