>>> IT'S GETTING DOWN TO THE WIRE IF LAWMAKERS WANT TO PASS A BUDGET BY FRIDAY.

ONE HANGUP.

A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES HEALTHCARE TO UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

AMANDA JOINS US NOW WITH THAT STORY.

>> YEAH, PARENTS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, AS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS IN FULL SWING.

THE HOUSE IN THE MIDST OF PASSING VARIOUS BILLS.

FURTHERS STILL HAVE TO BE HEARD BY THE OPPOSITE CHAMBER ACROSS THE CAPITOL IN THE SENATE.

BUT ONLOOKERS LIKE MYSELF ARE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING FOR ONE BILL TO DROP.

AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS THE BUDGET BILL.

THE SPENDING PLAN.

THERE HAS BEEN, HOWEVER, A ROAD BLOCK WITH GETTING A BUDGET DONE.

AND THAT IS OVER A PROGRAM THAT ILLINOIS PAYS FOR THAT PROVIDES HEALTHCARE COVERAGE TO GREEN CARD HOLDERS AND UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS.

LOOKING BACK TO A TIME, WHEN HIS MOTHER GOT SICK.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE MORE AFRAID OF THAT HER HEALTH WAS FAILING OR THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO AFFORD THE COST.

AND NO ONE IN ILLINOIS SHOULD HAVE TO QUESTION, CAN I AFFORD TO STAY ALIVE?

CAN I AFFORD TO KEEP WORKING?

THIS IS COVERED BY ILLINOIS'S FOR SENIORS.

THOSE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED AREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID.

SO THIS, THOSE WHO WOULD BE COVERED BY MEDICAID, BUT NOT IMMIGRANT STATUS, ARE COVERED BY THIS RELATIVELY NEW PROGRAM.

AT FIRST, IT WAS AVAILABLE TO SENIORS AND EXPANDED TO ADULTS.

NOW, ADVOCATES WANT EVERYONE.

SO ALL OF THOSE, AGED 19 AND OLDER, TO BE ELIGIBLE.

THE HEALTH ILLINOIS CAMPAIGN ESTIMATES THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $200 MILLION.

>> THIS ISN'T BREAKING THE STATE BUDGET.

AND TO SAY SO IS JUST BLATANTLY ANTI-IMMIGRANT.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 0.4% OF THE STATE BUDGET.

>>> BUT A REPORT PROJECTS THAT AN EXPANSION OF THIS WOULD COST NEARLY DOUBLE THAT.

ILLINOIS'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY SERVICES SAYS IT STANDS BY ITS NUMBERS, WHICH WERE PREPARED, AFTER ALL, BY AN ACTUARY.

THEY POINT OUT THAT PREVIOUS COST ESTIMATES FOR THE CURRENT PROGRAM WERE WILDLY LOW.

GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER HAS TOUTED THIS PROGRAM.

BUT IS DISTANCING HIMSELF FROM EXPANSION.

INSISTING THAT THE BUDGET THAT LAWMAKERS COME FORWARD WITH HAVE TO BE BALANCED.

>> WHEN WE HEAR POLITICIANS SAY THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR EXTENDING COVERAGE THIS YEAR.

WE'RE HEARING THAT THEY'RE OKAY WITH LEAVING 100,000 PEOPLE BEHIND.

WE'RE HEARING THAT THEY'RE OKAY WITH LEAVING 100,000 PEOPLE TO GET SICK, TO NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE CARE THAT THEY NEED, THE CARE THAT WE ALL DESERVE.

>> SO CERTAINLY PUTTING PRITZKER UNDER PRESSURE.

AND ADVOCATES ARE LAYING ON THE PRESSURE.

TO NOT FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET HEALTHCARE FOR ALL IS NOT HUMANE.

>> SO I URGED THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, HSS, TO KEEP WORKING, TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THIS.

AND STOP USING THIS AS A SCAPEGOAT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE THE GAP.

THESE ADVOCATES SAY THAT THE STATE'S COST ESTIMATES ARE FLAWED BY NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT FOR EXAMPLE, FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT.

ALSO, THERE ARE EXPECTED, INITIAL COST SURGES, AS YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS WITH LONG-NEGLECTED HEALTH NEEDS.

FINALLY GETTING THEM TAKEN CARE OF.

BUT THEY SAY THAT SPIKE TAKES OFF.

>> SOMEBODY NEEDS ORAL SURGERY, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO WORK AND OUT OF PAIN.

BUT THEN THEY TRANSITION.

AND THAT'S KIND OF A LOW-SCALE EXAMPLE OF HOW THERE'S A SPIKE IN COSTS.

AND THEN IT SETTLES BACK DOWN.

>> NOW, NEGOTIATIONS ON A BUDGET CONTINUE.

YOU DO HAVE MANY LATINO LEGISLATORS, IN PARTICULAR, INSISTING THAT THE NEW SPENDING PLAN DOES INCLUDE THIS EXPANSION OF HEALTHCARE COVERAGE FOR UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS.

HOWEVER, YOU HAVE OTHER LEGISLATORS THAT ARE UPSET, THAT PARTICULARLY WITH THE GROWING COSTS OF DOING THIS, THAT IT IS EATING UP FUNDING THAT COULD AND SHOULD, SAY, GO TO OTHER DESERVING PROGRAMS.

NOW TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT IS OF THE ESSENCE.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE A SPENDING PLAN, AT LEAST FORMALLY