A new state audit report released last week shows a Democrat-run state’s rampant over-expenditure on healthcare for illegal immigrants, in some cases more than double the projected amount.
The report published by Illinois Auditor General Frank J. Mautino at the request of the GOP lawmakers, found that the state spent $1.6 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants, more than 200% of what Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker’s government had projected. “Actual enrollment and actual costs exceeded the initial program estimates for both the HBIS and HBIA programs,” the report stated.
Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) provides state-funded free medical coverage for senior (65+) illegal immigrants, while Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) covers medical expenses for undocumented alien adults between 42 to 64 years old. “This audit shows that the governor, that the program was rampant in overspending,” John Curran told Fox Digital. “It spent well in excess of 200% more than what was estimated in budgets and in appropriations.”
It also found that over 6,000 legal residents with Social Security Numbers were listed as undocumented and benefitted from the program, some of whom were legal residents and should have received Medicaid. Additionally, the state failed to seek reimbursements from the federal government where possible, highlighting gross mismanagement of the program, typical of liberal administrations.
“[The audit report] showed that the governor was unable to manage this program,” Curran added.
Similarly, over 700 individuals who signed up for the free healthcare program were listed as senior citizens despite being well below 65 years old. Subsequently, the rate of enrolment for HBIS more than doubled from the projected 6,700 to 15,831 while expenses increased by 84% from the projected $224.0 million to $412.3 million. Similarly, HBIA had enrolment more than doubled, while expenses increased by 282% for HBIA (55-64), and 286% for HBIA (42-54).
“In total from FY21 through FY23, the expanded programs for immigrant seniors and adults cost just under $898 million. The cost for all three levels increased greatly in FY23,” the report stated.
“Outpatient services ($145 million), inpatient hospital services ($94 million), and pharmacy services ($106.8 million) were the next highest costs. The total cost for the HBIS and HBIA programs since inception was just over $1.6 billion.”
Meanwhile, Illinois has a budget shortfall of $3 billion, which Gov. Pritzker plans to address by cutting coverage for legal immigrants without a green card, and illegal adults below 65 years to save $330 million. However, even one cent spent on illegal immigrants is one cent too much.
Curran also accused Pritzker of trying to end state-funded healthcare for all working adults, some of whom might be vulnerable, after Trump ended federal funding for illegal immigrants.
“Now that federal dollars have tapered off, we have a large budget deficit in Illinois this year and the governor is now being forced to try to end the program for all working adults,” Curran added.
Seemingly, Illinois should urgently follow the federal government’s footsteps and form the Illinois Department of Government Efficiency (IDOGE or DOGE-IL) to curb wastage and fraud. The state should also focus on helping vulnerable legal residents instead of people who entered the country illegally.
Nonetheless, Illinois Gov. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have vowed to shield illegal immigrants from deportation. Mayor Johnson, who replaced one of the worst mayors in Chicago’s history Lori Lightfoot, seems to be following in her footsteps.
Between August 2022 to June 2024 over 42,000 illegal immigrants entered the sanctuary city, with the mayor spending over $400 million to address the problem, infuriating voters.
“We’re in a billion-dollar deficit, and you spent half of our money on illegals?” One woman confronted Brandon.
Their bloated billionaire they elected as governor is the real threat to democracy…
I’ve experienced the lack of adequate healthcare for citizens.9:30 pm 2/27 elmhurst Hospital, Illinois, waiting room packed. Illegals,an hour later they said we can get a bed in the hallway. My wife was so ill needed to lay down so we accepted , she was so dehydrated needed an IV drip but they had none, during our three hours stay in the hallway she never saw one doctor even though she had a temperature of 102,three hours later they discharged her. my wife is 64 years old and was still very sick, but they sent her home! Today is March 1. She’s been in bed since, terrible cough and fever. Governor Pritzker doesn’t care for citizens of USA
Talking to lawyer to see if lawsuit can be brought against hospital and Pritzker
Gubner Prickster not only oversees a bloated budget he defines bloated.
For decades, Arizonans have spent billions on free healthcare for illegal aliens. The difference is that we didn’t choose to do it. You see, the federal government allowed millions of illegal aliens to cross into our state. Those who didn’t feel like paying for healthcare or health insurance simply went to hospital emergency rooms. The law states that no one can be turned away. The hospitals recovered their costs by charging citizens outrageous prices, knowing we would have to cough up the money or take a big hit on our credit rating.
Even citizens who never went to the hospital paid indirectly as they watched their insurance premiums skyrocket. Then there were the billions we spent educating illegal alien children (again required by law). We watched our schools’ ratings fall in comparison with non-border states as a result., and citizens’ children got less attention while having fewer school supplies and programs. Many illegal aliens committed criminal acts, including driving without licenses or insurance, and many drove drunk, crashing into Arizonans’ vehicles and even killing our citizens. We had to pay the costs of catching them, prosecuting them, and incarcerating them.
But at least we were never foolish enough to willingly offer illegal alien invaders everything for free like some blue states do. However, Arizonans’ federal tax dollars do go to support the negative consequences of blue cities’ and blue states’ sanctuary policies, which are all deliberate and illegal violations of federal laws.
Glad I don’t live in Illinois. Don’t know why people vote for leadership,or lack thereof, like this. It’s ridiculous to have so many of your citizens living in deplorable conditions and think the answer is to invite broke immigrants in to replace them politically. It’s especially cruel to the immigrants that were invited here telling them just break the law and it’s all good.