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Elizabeth M. Whitehorn, Director

Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities (HBWD)

Illinois is part of the national movement to help people with disabilities return to work. The program called Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities (HBWD) started providing medical benefits in January 2002.

Disability advocates have long noted that returning to work is difficult for people with disabilities. Many fear that working means losing Medicaid healthcare coverage. Often private insurance is difficult or impossible to obtain.

The goal of this program is to help people with disabilities work with full Medicaid healthcare benefits. HBWD not only encourages enrollees to work, but to increase the number of hours they are currently working. Just as the name says, the program provides health benefits for workers with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability, between the ages of 16 and 64 and working, you may qualify for HBWD. Workers with countable income of up to $4,393 per month for a single person and $5,962 per month for a couple may qualify for the program. Unlike other Medicaid programs, HBWD allows enrollees to have up to $25,000 in assets. Depending on their income, enrollees pay a monthly premium based on their income range to receive comprehensive healthcare coverage.

You may download an application or request an application to be E-mailed. For more information, please call our hotline at 1-800-226-0768 (TTY 1-866- 675-8440).