Illinois has joined the national movement to help people with disabilities return to work. The new program called Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities (HBWD) started providing medical benefits in January 2002.
Disability advocates have long noted that returning to work is difficult for people with disabilities. Many fear that a return to work means losing Medicaid health care coverage. Often private insurance is difficult or impossible to obtain.

The goal of this program is to help people with disabilities return to work with full Medicaid health care benefits. HBWD not only encourages enrollees to work, but to increase the number of hours they are currently working. Just as the name says, the program provides health benefits for workers with disabilities.

If you are an individual with a disability, between the ages of 16 and 64 and working, you may qualify for HBWD. Workers with countable income of up to $1,702 per month for a single person and $2,282 per month for a couple may qualify for the program. Unlike other Medicaid programs, HBWD allows enrollees to have up to $10,000 in assets. Depending on their income, enrollees pay a monthly premium that ranges from $0 to $100 to receive the full range of Medicaid services.

You may download an application or request an application to be E-mailed. For more information please call our hotline at 1-800-226-0768 (TTY 1-866-675-8440).

To have someone talk to your group or organization about the HBWD program, complete the HBWD Presentation Request.