Illinois suspends noncitizen healthcare program as enrollments explode
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is putting the brakes on a program that would subsidize healthcare for noncitizen immigrants after enrollments came in at a rate “more rapidly than people had anticipated when the program was put in place.”
Illinois introduced the program in March 2022, providing Medicaid-style healthcare coverage for noncitizens aged 42 and older, who would be eligible for Medicaid if they were citizens.
Covered services include doctor and hospital visits, lab tests, physical and occupational therapy, mental health, substance abuse disorder services, dental and vision services, and prescription drugs.
“We had $220 million in the program already, and we realized that if we could manage it properly, we could manage the program with the number of people that are in it now to about $550 million,” Pritzker said Friday.
The governor announced the suspension of the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program beginning July 1st. The Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors program will remain open, but will automatically pause if the number of enrollees exceeds 16,500.
Additionally, Pritzker announced a $250 copay for hospitalizations, $100 copay for emergency room visits, and a 10% coinsurance for outpatient services.
“If they don’t get healthcare, basic healthcare, they end up in an emergency room and we all end up paying for that at a much higher cost than if we have preventative care and regular care for people,” Pritzker said.
According to a report by Health Care and Family Services, in 2024 there will be an additional 108,400 undocumented immigrants needing health care, a number that exceeds current estimates, according to The Center Square.
Current estimates place the number of undocumented immigrants living in Illinois at over 500,000, with nearly 4,000 over the age of 65.
Critics, such as Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville), said the suspension will not safeguard taxpayers, noting that there are no federal dollars to cover the costs, and it encourages more noncitizen immigrants to come to Illinois at taxpayer expense.
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