Lake County Gazette

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Democratic leaders recently announced that they reached agreement on a $50 billion state budget that includes $550 million for a Medicaid-style program for immigrants.

“The Senate and the House have agreed to give us the tools to manage the program properly,” Pritzker said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “[It] allows us to provide health care for the people who are on the program now and make sure that we’re continuing the program going forward, but in a budget-friendly way so that everybody gets the health care that they need.”

Pritzker’s administration has increased estimated costs of the program from $220 million at the beginning of the year to $550 million as more immigrants have arrived. The program currently provides coverage to immigrants 42 and older who are in the country without legal permission or who have green cards but haven’t completed the five-year waiting period that would make them eligible for traditional insurance programs aiding low-income individuals.

In addition to allocating money to the health program, the Chicago Tribune reports the budget also includes $250 million to increase youth services, $100 million in college grant funding, $85 million for homeless prevention efforts, $53.5 million for public health emergency preparednesses, and $20 million for capital downtown area projects.

“As governor, it’s my job to not just look at what’s right in front of us but to prepare for what’s ahead, five, 10, 50 years down the road,” Pritzker said, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. “And like the past four budgets, this budget looks toward a future, a future where every child gets a quality education from cradle to career and where every parent has access to the child care and training that they need to get a better paying job, a future where every Illinoisan has a safe place to call home, a safe community to live in, a future where economic security means the opportunity for anyone and everyone to prosper.”

The Illinois Senate passed the budget late Thursday, May 25. The House passed it early Saturday morning May 27. The bill awaits Gov. Pritzker's signature.