For HBIA to survive, state legislators in Springfield need to vote on a budget on that includes funding for the program to continue. To do this, they need to hear stories from those who depend on the program to have access to lifesaving healthcare.
The Healthy Illinois Campaign made history in 2020 when we passed legislation to establish healthcare coverage for low-income Illinois seniors ages 65+, regardless of immigration status. By establishing the Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) program, Illinois became the first state in the country to ensure healthcare access for those shut out of federally funded Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Healthy Illinois made history again in 2021 by passing legislation to establish the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) program, providing a pathway to healthcare coverage for low-income Illinois adults ages 55-64, regardless of immigration status. Like its counterpart program for seniors, the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program is a Medicaid-like health insurance program that provides access to comprehensive healthcare coverage with $0 premiums and $0 co-payments.
Healthy Illinois continued to expand access to affordable, comprehensive health coverage in 2022 by passing legislation to expand the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program to low-income immigrant Illinoisans ages 42-54.
Ensure access to coverage up to age 19, regardless of immigration status
Create and fund health benefits for immigrant seniors
Create and fund health benefits for immigrant adults
Expand health benefits for immigrant adults
Upcoming Initiatives
- Expand access to affordable, comprehensive health coverage to all adults, regardless of immigration status. Healthy Illinois is fighting to expand state-funded health coverage to individuals ages 19-41 who are currently excluded from Federal Medicaid.
- Healthy Illinois is fighting to ensure that the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors programs include coverage for long-term services and supports, benefits currently excluded from the coverage packages.
- Healthy Illinois is working with partners to ensure that all eligible individuals have culturally and linguistically competent information and meaningful access to enroll in HBIA and HBIS coverage.