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CHICAGO — There’s a proposal to make Illinois the first state to provide health coverage to uninsured low-income immigrants.

The bill has a price tag of $271 million, but supporters say in the end it will save tax payers money.

House bill 4437 expands health care coverage to nearly 150,000 low income immigrants ages 19 to 54, who don’t have coverage through either the Affordable Care Act or Medicaid.

Immigrants age 55 and over already have this type of coverage. 

The groups argue that by not having those people covered, costs Illinois hospitals about $870 million a year in charity care, driving up the cost for others. They say this program cuts that cost by about two-thirds.

If this bill Is passed, Illinois would become the first state in the country to offer such health care guarantees to almost all of its residents.