This week, after months of Republicans calling attention to the increasing costs of Illinois’ undocumented immigrant healthcare program, the Governor’s Administration filed an emergency rule attempting to rein in state spending on the program for non-citizens, which had ballooned to more than $1 billion. 

While the new rule temporarily suspends enrollment to the program beginning July 1 for those ages 42-64 and sets co-pay requirements, Illinois has already sent a clear message to undocumented immigrants across the nation and the world that Illinois is the best place to come for healthcare.

Even with the new limits on the program, Illinois taxpayers are still forced into providing the best in the nation healthcare to undocumented immigrants. This group of individuals are still receiving better healthcare than Illinois residents on Medicaid and that the healthcare costs for this population are four times greater than a similar citizen on Medicaid as the program hardly receives any federal dollars.

The emergency rule filed last week became effective immediately. Additionally, an identical, permanent rule was also filed and will be taken up by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules in the coming months.