Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has announced a temporary pause on new enrollments for the Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) program, effective November 6. This decision comes as the program approaches its enrollment cap of 16,500 individuals.

The HBIS program, launched in late 2020, offers Medicaid-like healthcare coverage to individuals aged 65 and older who are ineligible for Medicaid due to their immigration status. HFS confirmed that those already enrolled will continue to receive coverage as long as they remain eligible.

In addition to HBIS, HFS operates the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) program, which covers individuals aged 42 to 64. As of September's end, nearly 69,000 people benefit from both programs combined.

Earlier this year, HFS set the enrollment cap at 16,500 for HBIS when it introduced emergency and regular rules aimed at aligning program costs with the budget allocated by the General Assembly for State Fiscal Year 2024. This fiscal year began on July 1.

Compared to traditional Medicaid populations, the HBIA and HBIS programs have experienced higher month-over-month enrollment growth and per-enrollee costs. These increases are attributed to more prevalent untreated chronic conditions and elevated hospital costs among enrollees, straining available funds for this fiscal year.

HFS acknowledges the importance of this resource for those who would otherwise qualify for Medicaid if not for their immigration status. The department remains committed to monitoring program costs closely while ensuring the continuation of this leading initiative.