Medicaid Immigrant Eligibility Restrictions

On October 1, 2026, new Medicaid and CHIP rules took hold for many lawfully present immigrants. Under the 2025 reconciliation law (H.R. 1, Public Law 119-21), Medicaid immigrant eligibility restrictions now limit federal funding for full coverage to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and COFA migrants. KFF published its analysis of the rollout on September 22, 2026, and it raises real questions for lawfully present immigrants across the country, including many families in Houston. This matters because the change hits people who assumed their coverage was safe: refugees, asylees, parolees, trafficking survivors, and VAWA self-petitioners who...