Change to immigrant health care programs in Illinois will cause up to 6,000 to lose benefits – Chicago Tribune/MSN

The health care programs became a major sticking point in budget negotiations last year. In his budget proposal a year ago, Gov. JB Pritzker pitched $220 million for the program. But as projected costs rose to $1.1 billion, he ended up striking a deal that set aside $550 million for the benefits. In addition to proposing $440 million from the state’s general revenue fund for the programs in the coming year, Pritzker also proposed that an additional outlay of nearly $200 million could be allocated toward the two programs through other revenue streams.