An audit published Wednesday revealed that a pair of health care programs for noncitizens in Illinois had far exceeded their estimated costs, with a price tag of $1.6 billion through last summer. The report highlighted misclassifications of enrollees as “undocumented” despite having social security numbers, leading to ballooning costs. Governor JB Pritzker’s budget includes defunding one of the programs aimed at noncitizens aged 44 to 64 while maintaining the smaller program for seniors aged 65 and older.
The audit also found discrepancies in enrollment data, with nearly 6,000 enrollees mislabeled as undocumented. Some green card holders who qualified for other health coverage were enrolled in the programs. Penalties have been issued, but some mis-enrollments, including refugees sent from southern border states, were not intended to be covered by the programs.
Enrollment in the programs surpassed original projections, prompting the state to impose pauses and spending controls to manage costs. Governor Pritzker proposed defunding the program for adults as part of shared sacrifice measures in his budget proposal. Lawmakers expressed concerns about the mismanagement of the programs and the need for greater oversight.
The audit highlights the need for better oversight and accurate estimation of costs for government programs, especially those aimed at vulnerable populations. Efforts are underway to address misenrollments and ensure that the programs serve their intended purpose without straining state resources.
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