CHICAGO — Today, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) announced a delay in implementing co-pays for healthcare services provided under the State’s Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults/Seniors (HBIA/HBIS) programs Healthy Illinois Campaign Director Tovia Siegel released the following statement in response to the announcement:
“These co-payments would place a significant burden on both providers and patients, limiting access to healthcare for Illinois’ immigrant community,” Siegel said. “We stand ready to work with HFS to find fiscally responsible ways to make this delay a permanent policy and protect the HBIA and HBIS programs that thousands of immigrants rely on for critically important healthcare services.”
“Advocates submitted hundreds of comments opposing the recent changes to the programs,” Siegel said. “We are relieved that HFS and the Pritzker Administration are delaying the implementation of co-payments for medically necessary healthcare.”
ABOUT: The Healthy Illinois Campaign is a statewide coalition that has a diverse cross-section of immigrant and healthcare advocates including community members, providers, organizers and policy experts. 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.