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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.
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