The administration of Gov. JB Pritzker will suspend access to state-funded health insurance programs for immigrants under the age of 65 who enter the country without legal authorization, and will limit enrollment for those over the age of 65. The soaring costs forced a last-minute compromise on the state budget. .
The move was denounced as “immoral and financially short-sighted” by Latino legislators and immigrant health advocacy groups.
Pritzker’s February budget proposal included $220 million for the program, but by early May next year’s forecast was $1.1 billion as enrollments continued to exceed expectations. inflated.
To get a deal on a $50.4 billion state budget, Mr. Pritzker struck a deal with the Democratic-controlled Congress to allocate $550 million to the program and give the administration “tools” to control its costs. I decided to give The second-term Democratic governor took political responsibility for restricting access to the program after declaring a year ago that “everyone has the right to access comprehensive health insurance, with or without paperwork.” have virtually agreed to pay.
The changes, which take effect with the start of the state’s new budget year on July 1, include out-of-pocket costs for emergency room and hospital services when the state does not receive matching funding from the federal government.
Those already enrolled in the program will continue to receive compensation, the government said.
The Illinois Department of Health and Family Services, which manages the program, announced the change on Friday after Pritzker signed a bill earlier in the day giving the agency the power to change the program to contain costs. .
Medical and Family Services called the action taken on Friday a “pause” of new registrations and said it would “reopen new registrations as soon as financially possible.”
“We are very disappointed in this action,” said Rep. Edgar Gonzalez of Chicago, who represents the Little Village district and serves as a Latino member of the House Democratic Party.
“This doesn’t just affect Latinos. It affects the entire state of Illinois,” Gonzalez, who voted for a bill giving the Pritzker administration the power to change the program, said in a text message. “You would think that after years of a global pandemic, states would first-hand understand what the lack of medical care would do to vulnerable people.”
The Illinois Legislative Latino Legislators issued a statement on Friday urging those currently eligible for the program to register before next month’s recruitment deadline.
Created in 2020, the program will initially target people aged 65 and over who are entering the country without legal authorization or who have a green card but are ineligible for conventional health insurance because they have not completed the five-year waiting period. It provided Medicaid-style insurance to immigrants. A program co-funded by the federal government for the poor.
Since then, the program has been expanded twice and now covers those 42 and older.
Advocates and some Democrats called during the spring Congress for more programs for those 19 and older, but concerns emerged about whether states could fund existing programs. and lawmakers put the effort on hold. current level.
The statewide coalition that has pushed for the program and its expansion condemned the change in a statement Friday, noting that the governor “turned his back on the community he claims Illinois welcomes and anti-immigrant Republicans across the country.” We are keeping pace,” he said.
“Governor Pritzker’s decision will prevent people from receiving cancer treatment, diabetes treatment, mental health care and countless other necessary medical services,” the Healthy Illinois newspaper said in a statement. “Today’s move is immoral and financially short-sighted.”
The group noted that Pritzker said after signing into the national budget earlier this month that “investing in health care for illegal immigrants saves money.”
Friday’s Latino caucuses made it clear that party members have not given up on further expansion.
“We were proud to fight to make Illinois the first state in the nation to offer Medicaid-like benefits to these communities,” the group said in a statement. “However, this reversal is disappointing.
“We will continue to fight for health care for all Illinoisans. Members of the Latino Caucus have not given up and are closing the gaps in coverage until we can reach all residents. I will keep trying.”
Pritzker’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the criticism.
As of June 7, 63,255 people were enrolled in the program, including 14,594 people aged 65 and over, according to Health Care Family Services. There were 32,612 participants between the ages of 42 and 54, and the group just qualified on July 1 last year.
A rule introduced on Friday will end registrations if the number of registrants in the 65-and-over age group reaches 16,500.
Those enrolled in the program will pay copays of $250 for hospital stays and $100 for emergency room visits if the services received are not federally reimbursable. She also has a 10% co-insurance for outpatient services in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers.
Among other changes, the new rule will allow the Cook County Health and Hospital System, which has been paid more than other providers through this program, to “pay the difference in a manner and amount determined by the Department.” to the state. ”
According to the state, from its inception in 2020 through June 7 of this year, the state has spent a total of $726 million on the program, of which more than $328 million, or about 45% of the total cost, has gone to counties. paid to the health system. agency.
The Cook County Health Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Contributed by AD Quig of the Chicago Tribune.
