As Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his administration continue to grapple with how to care for the more than 35,000 immigrants who have come to Illinois, the governor and Department of Health and Family Services discuss practical policy. They often speak from different points of view. Health care costs for noncitizens (those not eligible for Medicaid) and whether the program exceeds its budget for the year.
The 2024 budget includes $550 million for non-citizen health care, and Pritzker is on record as saying non-citizens are “living within that cap.” I serve on the bipartisan, bicameral Joint Committee on Administrative Regulation, and on February 6, I asked HFS representatives specifically how much this year's immigrant health care program would cost. I heard that the cost estimated by the Governor's own Budget Office would be $773 million, which is almost 50% higher than the budgeted amount.
Additionally, a recent press release from the Pritzker administration announced that non-citizens will be required to pay out-of-pocket medical costs starting February 1st, but it turns out that is not actually the case. In most cases, copays are not required. they are optional.
During the JCAR meeting, I asked a representative from HFS about introducing copays, and she said that while providers can decide whether to charge copays, Cook County's largest managed care provider already The company has announced that it will not charge copayments. When I asked, I was told that the mandatory copay was only required for an overnight hospital stay and surgery.
Health insurance premiums are an expensive but necessary part of most Illinois households' budgets, and in addition to monthly premiums, they also include copays for each individual doctor's visit. In fact, it's not uncommon for monthly health insurance premiums to exceed $2,000. That's $24,000 a year in premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
Illinois residents should know that while they pay high insurance premiums and large out-of-pocket payments for their family members' health care, noncitizens often pay neither. It's time for Congress to adjust course and prioritize Illinoisans who are struggling to make ends meet.
State Sen. Donald DeWitt (R-St. Charles), District 33
Protecting NATO protects the United States
The letter to the editor entitled “NATO countries should make reparations” is an example of historical ignorance and faulty logic.
First, our NATO allies already repay the United States for protecting our country, regardless of what percentage of their GDP they pay for defense. The only time NATO has invoked Article 5, the pledge of mutual self-defense in the event a member country is attacked, was when it supported the United States after the attacks on our country on September 11, 2001. retaliated by invading Afghanistan with American support. All about NATO. Our allies are paying it forward for any assistance we may provide in the future.
Second, the logic that NATO should be understood like the good old days when there were no public fire departments ignores why in big cities and small towns we no longer need to subscribe to fire insurance companies. I am. If you pay and your neighbor doesn't, then yes, you're going to set fire to the non-paying neighbor's house. And your house may also burn down in that fire. Then your house will burn down, subscriber or not.
Protecting NATO allies protects America. To pretend otherwise is to deliberately ignore history and logic.
bill savage, rogers park
