Immigrants
Coverage for lawfully present immigrants
Lawfully present immigrants can get Marketplace coverage and may qualify for the
and
on Marketplace plans.
The term âlawfully presentâ includes immigrants who have:
- âQualified non-citizenâ immigration status (see details below)
- Humanitarian statuses or circumstances (including Temporary Protected Status, Special Immigrant Juvenile Classification, refugees and asylees, Convention against Torture, victims of trafficking)
- Valid non-immigrant visas
- Legal status conferred by other laws (temporary resident status, LIFE Act, Family Unity individuals)
Lawfully present immigrants and Marketplace savings
If youâre a lawfully present immigrant, you can get Marketplace coverage. You may qualify for lower costs on monthly premiums and extra savings on out-of-pocket costs based on your income.
The
is a measure of income used to decide your eligibility for certain programs and benefits. This could include savings on Marketplace health insurance, and
and
coverage.
If your annual income is between 100% and 400% of the FPL, you may qualify for the premium tax credit and extra savings on Marketplace health coverage.
Immigrants and Medicaid & CHIP
If you're a "qualified non-citizen," you're generally eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid and CHIP if you:
- Meet state income and residency rules.
- Got your "qualified" immigration status 5 years agoâthis is called the 5-year waiting period.
You don't have a 5-year waiting period if you're a refugee, asylee, or lawfully permanent resident who used to be a refugee or asylee.
If you're a qualified non-citizen, and you're in your 5-year waiting period, you may be able to get Marketplace coverage, if otherwise eligible.
âQualified non-citizenâ includes:
- Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR/Green Card Holder)
- Asylees
- Refugees
- Cuban/Haitian entrants
- Paroled into the U.S. for at least one year
- Conditional entrant granted before 1980
- Battered non-citizens, spouses, children, or parents
- Victims of trafficking and his or her spouse, child, sibling, or parent or individuals with a pending application for a Victim of Trafficking Visa
- Granted withholding of deportation
- Member of a federally recognized Indian tribe or American Indian born in Canada
- Citizens of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau who are living in one of the U.S. states or territories (referred to as Compact of Free Association or COFA migrants)
Children and pregnant immigrants
States have the option to remove the 5-year waiting period for Medicaid or CHIP if youâre pregnant or a child and are âlawfully residingâ in the U.S. Check if your state removed the 5-year waiting period.
Getting emergency care
Medicaid may cover treatment of an emergency medical condition if you meet all Medicaid eligibility criteria in the state (such as income and state residency) but donât have an eligible immigration status.
Medicaid, CHIP, & "public charge" status
A âpublic chargeâ is someone whoâs likely to rely mostly on government help in the future. This could be by getting public cash assistance for basic needs or long-term care at government expense, like in a nursing facility.
If youâre applying for a visa or entry to the U.S, or in the process of applying to become a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR or Green Card holder), thereâs new guidance on how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines if youâre likely to become a âpublic charge."Â Learn more about this "public charge" update before you apply for coverage through the Marketplace, Medicaid, or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).