Enrollment in the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) program will be temporarily paused effective July 1, 2023.

Health Benefits For Immigrant Seniors

Equity, Positive Outcomes, Well-Being

Advancing its vision for healthcare equity, the State of Illinois in 2020 committed to providing medical coverage to seniors regardless of their immigration status. As part of its Mission, HFS developed the program to produce positive outcomes for our customers, address the social and structural determinants of health and foster the well-being of the Illinoisians we serve.

You may be eligible for this program if you meet all 4 requirements:

1. You are 65 years old or older

2. You are an Illinois resident

3. You are one of the following:

A lawful permanent resident (LPR) for less than five years (also known as having a green card), or
An undocumented immigrant (including individuals in a Temporary Protected Status)

4. You are an individual with 2022 annual income at or below $13,590 or a couple with annual income at or below $18,310*

5. An individual with assests below $2,000, or, a couple with assets under $3,000* CURRENTLY WAIVED FOR COVID-19**

* We can also use your medical bills to reduce your countable income or assets. This may make you eligible.

** We won’t count assets until after the COVID-19 emergency. Also, we won’t count certain assets like a home or a car.

***If you are age 55-64, you may be eligible for the Health Benefits for Immigrants Adults program

Covered Benefits

As of July 1, 2023, health care providers may collect co-payments and cost sharing on some nonemergency hospital and ambulatory treatment center outpatient services covered under the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) programs. Co-payments and cost sharing are what you pay out of your own pocket for a covered health care service. Co-payments and cost sharing can only be charged on these services:

Nonemergency inpatient hospitalizations: Up to $250 co-payment.
Nonemergency hospital emergency room visits: Up to $100 copay.
Nonemergency Hospital or Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Outpatient Services: Up to 10% of the Medicaid payment. The amount you can be charged will vary depending on the service. Based on what Medicaid pays today, the amount may range from $3.70 to $202.95. Your provider can tell you if they will charge cost sharing and what the amount will be prior to providing the service.

Most services covered by the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program will continue to be free to you.

Doctor and hospital care
Lab tests
Rehabilitative services such as physical and occupational therapy
Home health, mental health and substance use disorder services
Dental and vision services
Prescription drugs

Long Term Care Services will not be covered. This includes nursing facility services and home or community-based services as an alternative to facility services. The program may cover prior health care up to 3 months before you apply.

Public Charge

If you have questions about how enrollment in this program would affect current or future requests to change your immigration status, please email Protecting Immigrant Families at pifillinois@povertylaw.org, or call the Immigrant Family Resource Program at 1-855-437-7669. They will help you find an organization to answer your questions.

Apply Today

You can apply for these new benefits by any of the following methods.
✓ Apply online - at www.ABE.illinois.gov.
✓ Apply by phone - call the ABE Customer Call Center at 1-800-843-6154.
✓ Contact an Application Assistor for help in applying
✓ Contact a Community Service Agency for help in applying in 59 languages.
✓ Apply by mail – use the on-line Paper Application or ask the ABE Customer Call Center (1-800-843-6154) to request a paper application.