Latest news with #HealthBenefitsforImmigrantAdults
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois lawmakers pass $55.2 billion budget
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- Illinois State Senators passed a $55 billion budget less than 2 hours after State Representatives sent it to them Saturday evening. Several events planned for Pride Month in Evansville The spending plan increased funding for safety net hospitals and federally qualified clinics in anticipation of cuts to Medicaid. The budget plan includes a $100 million budget reserve, which can be used by the governor during emergencies. The spending plan also cuts the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program. The program gave non-citizens between the ages of 42 and 64 access to state-sponsored health care. The budget also includes tax increases on cigarettes, vaping, and sports betting. The budget now heads to Governor Pritzker's desk, who says he will sign it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Noncitizens in Illinois could lose state-funded health insurance. Here's what to know
Immigration advocates and people who received word that they could lose their state-funded health insurance took to the Illinois capitol on April 23 in attempt to sway legislators. Around 32,000 noncitizens in Illinois will lose coverage unless legislators decide to continue funding the initiative that costs the state around $330 million. Here's what you need to know about the program and what's happening to it. More: 'Deep into the shadows': Immigration advocate talks about fears facing communities Gov. JB Pritzker's 2026 budget proposes to eliminate the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program that provides healthcare for low income people who are in the U.S. without legal permission. The program launched in 2022, covering people between the ages of 42 and 64. The Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors program that also began in that year, will continue, according to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. That program serves qualifying people who are over the age of 65. But the governor's office has said that its decision to not propose funding reflects the state's fiscal reality. 'As always, I stand ready to work with members of the General Assembly to deliberate and negotiate the final budget, but let's be clear, I will only sign a balanced budget. If you come to the table, looking to spend more, I'm going to ask you where you want to cut,' Pritzker said in his annual budget address in February. Upwards of 100 demonstrators from multiple organizations rallied at the capitol and also sought to speak with legislators. Alfredo Palafox, a community organizer with the Southwest Organizing Project, said his parents both receive healthcare through the program. They have lived in the state for nearly 20 years and pay taxes. His mother is 57 years old and his father is 65 years old. Palafox's father visited the doctor for the first time since he enrolled in the program because he knew he could not afford to go without its support. His mother also forwent going to the doctor for years before the program afforded her the opportunity, which Palafox described as a need for her. Most of those demonstrators appeared to be Hispanic, though Rana Alkilano also spoke as a program coordinator with Arab American Family Services. Alkilano spoke on behalf of a client who was too afraid to speak in person because of the political climate surrounding immigrants. She said her client is a woman who raises three children alone, while battling a chronic illness, which has led to sizable medical debt. "My client's story is a painful example of how our healthcare system can leave people behind, especially those who are immigrants, uninsured, and already vulnerable," Alkilano said. More: Springfield students, recent grads lose their visas, like others across US An audit published in 2023 found that the programs overspent exceedingly. The senior's program cost $412 million in its first three years, which was reportedly 84% high than original estimates. The adult program covered noncitizen adults age 55 to 64 and was later expanded to cover those as young as 44, Capitol News Illinois reported. It cost $485.3 million over its first two years – roughly 284% more than the combined original estimate for both programs. The report additionally found more than 6,000 people enrolled in the programs were classified as 'undocumented' despite having social security numbers. Some of those were green card holders who could have instead qualified for Medicaid or traditional insurance. Those currently insured with HBIA after June 30 may have access to primary and preventative care at Federally Qualified Health Centers and free charitable clinics that serve insured and underinsured people, regardless of their immigration status and ability to pay, according to IDHFS. Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at tackerman@ This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Healthcare for noncitizens in Illinois is on the chopping block
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pritzker's proposed budget to eliminate health care program for non citizen adults
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) – Governor Pritzker pitched his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year Wednesday and while it doesn't include tax increases, it does make some cuts. The proposed budget eliminates a health care program for non citizen adults. 'There are lots of priorities I'd like to do immediately if we had the resources to do it. We cannot do it this year and so that's why we had to make some changes,' Pritzker told reporters following his budget address. The Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) program, which covers adults ages 42 to 64, costs the state more than $400 million every year. Pritzker already scaled back the program in 2023 when it was expected to come in way over budget. 'I really do believe that we should be covering everybody,' Pritzker said. 'Unfortunately, we expect that the federal government is going to stop reimbursing for any of that cost and they were reimbursing for some of that cost.' The Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus didn't agree with the idea. 'We believe that healthcare is a human right and we believe that taking people off of health care is not the right answer,' State Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) said during a press conference after the governor's speech. The members say they're going to fight to keep the program going. 'This is just the beginning,' Villa said. 'This is the governor's proposed budget and now we have a few months here to work hard and look line item by line item to see where we're going to be able to make things up.' Republicans have been calling on the state to completely eliminate the non citizen health care programs. 'I'm glad he's finally listened on the immigrant health care piece, eliminating a lot of that,' State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), said. 'He didn't eliminate all of it.' But Republicans don't think the program will get cut at the end of the day. 'I don't think it's real,' House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna), said in a press conference following the governor's budget address. 'I think it's just going to set us up for a tax increase.' While the proposed budget cuts the non citizen health care program for adults, it does keep funding for a program for non citizen seniors 65 and up to get health care. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
