SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Gov. JB Pritzker's two health insurance programs for noncitizens far exceeded enrollment and cost estimates according to an audit released Wednesday. The Auditor General's office said Illinois spent $1.6 billion since the free immigrant healthcare programs launched in 2020.

The bipartisan Legislative Audit Commission called for a performance audit of the state's health benefit programs for immigrant seniors and adults in November of 2023. Auditors found the initial estimate of 6,700 seniors enrolled for benefits was far below the actual number of nearly 15,900 people. 

Illinois expanded the health coverage for undocumented immigrants ages 55 to 64 in 2022, allowing over 17,000 people to sign up for benefits. Auditors explained that was more than twice the Pritzker administration's initial estimate of enrollees. The same happened for an expansion of the program for immigrant adults ages 42 to 54, with more than twice the signups than estimated.

"What this audit shows is before they got the program up and running correctly and synched up with federal reimbursement, they went and expanded the program twice," said Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove). "They really doubled down on mismanagement and mistake on this program."

The Auditor General's office also reported that more than 6,000 people enrolled for free undocumented immigrant healthcare even though they had social security numbers. Roughly 700 people who signed up for the senior health benefits program were not 65 or older.

Auditors also reported nearly 400 people received the free health benefits despite legally living in the United States for over five years.

"This is insane. Every time you turn around, he's telling us don't worry about it," said Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet). "It's not going to cost that much money. Then a couple years later, you find out once again he's wrong on his numbers."

The Auditor General's office showed the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services thought the immigrant senior program would cost $224 million. Although, the actual total was over $412 million. Health benefits for immigrants ages 55 to 64 were estimated to cost $58 million. Yet, the state paid 282% more with a total cost of $223 million. HFS estimated benefits for younger immigrant adults would cost $68 million, but the actual total was over $262 million.

"People don't go get healthcare or get treated when they don't have a problem," Pritzker said during an unrelated public event. "So, it's some evidence that there are an awful lot of people out there who need coverage who aren't getting it or who will do anything to get it. I think that's a sad state of affairs in our society."

Pritzker told reporters people who were eligible for the free health benefits may have become ineligible if their immigration status changed or they started a job with healthcare coverage. However, he admitted people may not have left the HBIS and HBIA programs because they didn't know they could or should stop receiving the benefits.

The governor announced earlier this month that he will end the free health benefits program for undocumented immigrants ages 42 to 64 when the Fiscal Year 2026 budget takes effect July 1. 

"I have made difficult decisions, including to programs I have championed, which is hard for me, just as I know some of the difficult decisions you will have to make will be hard for you," Pritzker told lawmakers on February 19. 

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