Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration on Tuesday clarified a controversial element of its proposed changes to health care coverage for undocumented persons — just as advocates had gathered for a virtual hearing to publicly criticize the cuts.
Citing the ballooning cost to the state, Pritzker in July had filed emergency rules to temporarily pause enrollment in the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program, which made individuals 42 to 64 eligible for Medicaid based on income levels, not their citizenship status. A similar program for noncitizens aged 65 and older also will be paused when enrollment reaches 16,500.
