Lake County Gazette

State Sen. Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) is speaking out against a projected $990 million in spending associated with Medicaid for noncitizens.

“A recent news article shined a light on a glaring budget liability heading into Illinois’ new fiscal year, as a program that provides free healthcare for undocumented immigrants has ballooned to nearly $1 billion,” Wilcox said in a press release. “In 2020, Illinois implemented the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Seniors, a program that gave Medicaid-type coverage for noncitizens 65 years or older. Since then, the program has expanded to include those 42 and older.” 

Wilcox added that the program went beyond its entire year's budget within its first month of implementation.

“This trend has only increased," he said. "Currently, Fiscal Year 2023 spending is estimated to be $567.6 million, over three times the budgeted amount of $150 million."

Wilcox underlined "The disparity between budgeted and actual spending is expected to continue as the state is now projecting a total cost next fiscal year of $990 million, leaving a program deficit of $770 million.” 

“Illinois taxpayers are completely on the hook for the cost of this program as there is no matching federal funding like there is for Medicaid," the senator added. "At a time when the state is failing some of its most vulnerable citizens, such as largely underfunding services for the developmentally disabled by over a half billion dollars over the last three years, I believe the state has its priorities backward. I strongly believe the State of Illinois has a responsibility to fully fund its current financial obligations before spending $1 billion on healthcare for non-citizens.” 

Deputy House Republican Leader State Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) was among the Republican lawmakers who cautioned against excessive spending in the Medicaid program dedicated to immigrants. 

“Year after year, we saw the majority party continue to double down on these expansions, which are not eligible for federal matching funds,” Spain said at a press conference. “The Medicaid program in the State of Illinois is our biggest area of spending.” 

Spain said the spending threatens the state’s fiscal stability, according to Peoria Standard.

“This billion dollar hole, which is just the beginning, requires the General Assembly to exercise fiscal responsibility in both the short-term and long-term to ensure state budget sustainability,” Spain said.

Wirepoints posted a story providing details about the program. 

“For the year from March 2022 through February 2023, cost of care for the 65 and over age group was nearly $188 million, which is 94 times what (bill sponsor then- Rep. Delia) Ramirez claimed,” Mark Glennon wrote in Wirepoints. “Since then, the state expanded the program twice, lowering the age limit to 55 in 2021 and 42 a year later. The cost estimates of those expansions also shatter estimates made along the way. Now, the expanded program is estimated to cost $990 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1. That’s an increase of $768 million over this year, which was the first full year under the expanded program.”

In 2020 Illinois became the first state to offer free healthcare to noncitizens. The program allowing the undocumented to take advantage of Medicaid has been dramatically expanded without adequate funding to ensure its fiscal health. Spain and other Republican leaders in the General Assembly called for a “pause” to the program until it can be audited. Spain filed House Resolution 220 in that effort. 

According to its synopsis, the resolution “Urges a moratorium on the enrollment of new beneficiaries for Medicaid services under the program for undocumented immigrants and a moratorium on the expansion of Medicaid services and coverage for any new population of undocumented immigrants not already covered; and urges the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit as soon as reasonably possible, and annually thereafter, to assess the Department of Healthcare and Family Services' administration of the program of Medicaid services and coverage provided to undocumented immigrants.”