CHICAGO — Early Wednesday morning, the Illinois General Assembly passed the FY25 state budget, which includes a record amount of funding for the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors programs. Total funding for both programs is estimated at $629 million, which includes $440 million from the General Revenue Fund and $189 million from federal reimbursements and other sources. This is a nearly 15 percent increase in funding from FY24, when the programs were funded at $550 million.
Healthy Illinois Campaign Director Tovia Siegel released the following statement in response to the budget passage:
“We applaud the Illinois General Assembly, in conjunction with Gov. JB Pritzker, for passing much needed funding for the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors programs that support healthier families and boost our economy as a whole. This funding level should ensure that the nearly 70,000 people enrolled in either program will not be forced off of their much-needed coverage, a significant victory for undocumented Illinoisans who rely on this life-saving healthcare as well as for the healthcare and immigrant advocates who have fought for these critical programs for years.
“Additionally, we’re hopeful that this increase in funding, coupled with a significant decrease in program costs in recent months, offers the opportunity for these programs to be reopened to new applicants and could also eliminate the need to impose unnecessary cost sharing on participants. Our coalition stands ready to work with the Pritzker Administration to examine reopening enrollment for these programs in a fiscally responsible manner, and we urge the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to reconsider imposing copays or other cost-cutting measures that will undo positive healthcare and financial progress made in recent years.
“While we are encouraged to see these programs avoid harmful cuts, it is still the goal of the Healthy Illinois Campaign to secure health coverage for all, regardless of immigration status. We will continue to fight for proper funding of HBIA and HBIS that forever eliminates all caps and copays, and we will continue to work toward expanding coverage for those ages 19-41 in the years to come.
Today, thanks to the work of Gov. Pritzker, President Harmon, Speaker Welch and the General Assembly, these programs are backed by more than $600 million in funding, which provides life-saving care like cancer screenings, chronic disease management, and vitally needed prescription medications for older adults and seniors across Illinois. We would also like to extend a special thank you to the Latino Caucus, the Asian American Caucus and the Progressive Caucus for their relentless legislative advocacy to ensure these programs are properly funded. We look forward to continuing to engage the legislature and the governor as we work toward the goal of coverage for all.”
ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS FOR IMMIGRANT ADULTS AND HEALTHY BENEFITS FOR IMMIGRANT SENIORS PROGRAMS: Created in 2020, the HBIS program provides health coverage to undocumented individuals aged 65 and older who would be eligible for Medicaid but for their immigration status. The HBIA program provides similar coverage for individuals aged 42 to 64. Generally, asylum seekers do not qualify for HBIA or HBIS, but may qualify for other health coverage programs from the state or federal government.
ABOUT HEALTHY ILLINOIS: The Healthy Illinois Campaign is a statewide coalition that has a diverse cross-section of immigrant and healthcare advocates including grassroots community organizations, healthcare providers, and policy organizations. We are united by a common goal of making quality, affordable healthcare coverage accessible to all people in Illinois, regardless of immigration status. For more information, please go to www.healthyillinoiscampaign.org.