McLean County immigrants fear dire consequences as Illinois ends medical coverage

Costs ‘ballooned’

State Rep. Steven Reick, a Republican from Woodstock, said HBIA was fraught with controversy from its inception.

“All I know is that it was sold to us as a program that was going to cost no more than $2 million with an ‘m’ and when it finally got to the point of being brought before the House of Representatives, we found out that the cost had ballooned to $1.2 billion,” Reick said.

Many Republican lawmakers raised concerns about the cost of the programs, with many arguing the state should not be providing health care for undocumented immigrants at all.

Almonord said the need was higher than they anticipated.

“With that being said, we don’t think it makes sense for a program to be cut because of the need. And we are also are in a place now in Illinois where the HBIA and HBIS has been closed for enrollment since the end of 2023, so the numbers that we’re dealing with, and that the General Assembly sees now, are numbers that we are able to anticipate.”

A report from the Illinois Auditor General indicated that the nearly 54,000 enrollees in the two HBIA programs more than doubled what the state anticipated [26,800].

The state stopped taking new enrollees in June 2023.

When HBIA wasn’t included in the state’s FY26 proposed budget, Illinois Department Healthcare and Family Services [HFS] invoked an emergency rule to end the program. That move bothered some members of the Illinois General Assembly Joint Committee on Administrative Rules [JCAR].

Reick, a member of JCAR, said he had a big problem with HBIA having an emergency rule-making statue. JCAR monitors rule making and is the last backstop before their implementation.

“The way emergency is defined, is defined as earthquake, flood, tornado, disaster – things that actually constitute an emergency,” Reick said. “If statute provides for emergency rule making without an explanation as to what the emergency is, it’s not an emergency that should be subject to emergency rule making.”

When the bill was argued on the floor of the House, Reick asked, “What is the emergency here?” He said the sponsor of the bill said, ‘Well, we have to be nimble in our dictation of who’s eligible, and limitations on eligibility,’ which I thought was very unpersuasive.”

‘People will die’

The proposed ruling to end HBIA would have fatal consequences for participants, Almonord believes.

“Let me make this clear: If funding is cut to HBIA, people will die,” Almonord said.

Almonord said HBIA participants losing coverage will have to choose between paying their rent or buying their medication.

“Those who are currently undergoing treatment for chronic illnesses, cancer, kidney failure, diabetes, heart disease … will no longer have access to their medication and the doctor’s visits that are keeping them alive,” she said.

For people like A.G., another McLean County resident who used only their initials to conceal their identity for concerns for their safety, Almonord’s warning rings true.

“The truth is I have really needed it so much because of my health condition. I have some health problems, and my medical condition has been deteriorating. And yes, I have needed it, and now that I need it the most, they’re taking it away,” she said.

She said receiving the termination of benefits has caused turmoil.

“Just recently, I received treatment for an issue with my white blood cells,” she said while exposing her swollen arm. “What am I going to do when I can no longer get my medicine and see the specialist?”

Where to turn

The Illinois HFS website lists Federally Qualified Health Centers [FQHCs] and charity clinics as options for preventative care for those losing HBIA benefits. In McLean County, Community Health Care Clinic in Normal and Chestnut Health Systems in Bloomington are those options.

CHCC Executive Director Holly Wayland-Hall said her clinic helped patients enroll in HBIA when it became available, but as participants began losing coverage during the redetermination period or for other reasons, they returned as patients to the clinic.