Illinois expanding Medicaid coverage for some, including convicted felons

(The Center Square) – The state of Illinois has federal approval to expand its Medicaid coverage to include convicted felons and those affected by firearm violence.

The state received federal approval of its proposed Healthcare Transformation 1115 Demonstration waiver that will allow the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services to begin work to expand taxpayer funded Medicaid coverage.

“Here in Illinois, the 1115 waiver is the cornerstone of our broader strategy to address health-related social needs,” said Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “We are using it to direct Medicaid resources toward initiatives that address the root causes of health inequalities such as housing, food insecurity, unemployment, violence prevention, re-entry from prison settings, substance use treatment, and more.”

The taxpayer cost for the expansion was not announced. Messages seeking comment from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services were not immediately returned.

Illinois was one of five states to receive federal approval for pre-release services for individuals to prepare for transition from incarceration. Illinois will cover a set of pre-release benefits for certain individuals who are inmates residing in a state or local jail, prison, or youth correctional facility.

“Illinois is among one of the first states to provide reentry services for individuals being released from a carceral setting, including coverage of pre-release services that can begin up to 90 days before a release,” said HFS Director Elizabeth Whitehorn.

Expanded home and community-based services, including non-medical transportation and expanded employment services, will also be covered.

Officials said HFS will be working with other state agencies and external stakeholders on a variety of implementation-related tasks, including the development of operational protocols, which are subject to federal review and approval.

“The approval of this federal Medicaid waiver is historic for Illinois and will continue to establish our state as a leader in expanding access to health care for millions of patients from Chicago to Carbondale,” said Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield.