Eye On Illinois: Audit on immigrant health care programs shows state mismanaged its efforts

Understanding a few operating philosophies can help clarify why elected officials make certain choices.

One is deploying preventive efforts as a way to minimize the costs of downstream effects. Another is that governments can cancel funding, but refusing to spend doesn’t eliminate demand.

The former echoed when reading an email from a reader opposed to House Bill 2466, mentioned Feb. 20, which would restore the ability of people in prison to apply for financial aid to enroll in college classes while incarcerated: “How sad these politicians have nothing else to think about. These people are in prison for a reason, not for the public to be giving them financial aid. [If they want] to do something, work on getting the homeless and veterans off the streets.”

Parrying that argument involves noting education and job training are pathways to employment, providing income to stave off homelessness. That’s true for anyone in school, but a key factor in offering options to people upon release from prison.

On the supply and demand side, consider something like public warming centers offered during periods of extreme winter weather. The government can pull the plug on such facilities, but people are still going to be cold. Shifting the burden doesn’t solve the problem.

Both examples encounter the reality of limited resources. If we’re not already fully funding schools for everyone who isn’t incarcerated, it’s harder to justify education spending elsewhere. Opening public buildings just to keep people warm necessarily sets aside space intended for another purpose, and furnaces don’t run for free.

Taken together, these approaches seemingly inform the decisions made to spend on HBIA and HBIS – health benefits for immigrant adults and seniors – programs a Wednesday Auditor General report revealed have drastically exceeded original expense projections while also battling operational inefficiencies. (Review the findings yourself at tinyurl.com/HBIaudits.)

Capitol News Illinois quoted Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, with a reasoned response: “To not run it properly and to have these large cost overruns, that’s how you end up with a budget deficit. That’s what’s crowding out spending on education. That’s what’s crowding out spending on other components of the state budget.”

Gov. JB Pritzker last week proposed eliminating HBIA to save $330 million in fiscal 2026. But that doesn’t recover any money already misspent. Further, those adults still will need medical services.

The audits clarify important information and hopefully foster reform and smarter spending. The government shouldn’t take on responsibilities it can’t afford or efficiently manage. But inaction also has costs when demand persists and no other entity will shoulder the burden. Pretending otherwise ignores reality.

Running a government means striking a balance between competing priorities. Leadership requires acknowledging mistakes, attempting amends and pursuing different solutions.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.