Medicaid in Michigan: what you may be able to apply for
๐ Will this affect your green card?
Regular Medicaid does NOT count in the public charge test โ receiving it does not affect your green card or immigration application. See details โ
What it is
Public health insurance for low-income people, jointly funded by the federal and state governments. It covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, pregnancy, and children's care. States run it under federal rules, and each state has its own name and details (California calls it Medi-Cal).
Michigan Medicaid (the adult expansion group is branded the Healthy Michigan Plan, run by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS); apply through MI Bridges)
Who may qualify
Income limit
- Adults 19-64 (Healthy Michigan Plan, ACA expansion)โค 133% FPLThe Healthy Michigan Plan covers people 19-64 with MAGI income at or below 133% FPL (Michigan's policy manual BEM 137 and the MDHHS eligibility page both say "133 percent / 133%" verbatim). A standard 5-percentage-point income disregard makes the effective limit about 138% FPL, the ACA expansion level. Per-household monthly/annual dollar figures update yearly with the Federal Poverty Level; rely on the official current amounts from MI Bridges or your local MDHHS.
- Children 0-18 (combined U-19 Medicaid + MIChild ceiling)โค 212% FPLA Michigan child under 19 is covered continuously from the lowest incomes up to about 212% FPL: lower incomes through U-19 Medicaid and the upper band through MIChild (Michigan's CHIP). Michigan's policy manual BEM 130 states verbatim that MIChild "Countable income as determined by MAGI rules cannot exceed 212% of the federal poverty level (FPL)," and by age gives "Age zero to age one is 196 percent to 212 percent" and "Age one to age 19 is 161 percent to 212 percent." MIChild has had no monthly premium since January 1, 2024, and no asset test. Per-household dollar figures update yearly with the FPL; rely on the official current amounts from MI Bridges.
- Pregnant individuals (pregnancy + two calendar months postpartum)๐ถ Michigan's MDHHS eligibility page states verbatim, "Medicaid is available to an eligible woman while she is pregnant, including the month her pregnancy ends and during the two calendar months following the month her pregnancy ends ... There is an income limit for this program." โ pregnant individuals get the comprehensive Medicaid benefit package during pregnancy and for two calendar months after it ends, and the group has an income limit. ๐ด Anti-fabrication: the official eligibility page says there "is an income limit" but does not print a specific % FPL figure on that page, so this site does not invent one โ rely on the official current threshold from MI Bridges or your local MDHHS. Those over the limit may qualify through Group 2 Pregnant Women (with a deductible/spend-down). Immigration: ๐ since August 1, 2024, pregnant individuals (including the entire postpartum period) are not subject to the five-year bar (see the immigration-status section above); a pregnant person without a qualifying status can be covered through ESO/MOMS for emergency services including labor and delivery.
Immigration-status rules in this state
๐ Michigan adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion, with the adult expansion group branded the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP). The official MDHHS eligibility page states HMP covers people 19-64 with income "at or below 133% of the federal poverty level" under MAGI (a standard 5-percentage-point income disregard makes the effective limit about 138% FPL, the ACA expansion level). Michigan Medicaid is run by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS); you apply through MI Bridges (newmibridges.michigan.gov) or your local MDHHS office. Children under 19 are covered up to about 212% FPL (U-19 Medicaid plus MIChild, Michigan's CHIP); pregnant individuals receive comprehensive Medicaid while pregnant and for two calendar months after the pregnancy ends. On immigration status (safety-critical): full Medicaid requires a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigration status, and lawful permanent residents generally face a five-year bar during which coverage is limited to Emergency Services Only (ESO). ๐ But as of August 1, 2024, Michigan's official policy manual (BEM 225) states that "children under age 21 and pregnant individuals (including through the entirety of their postpartum period) are no longer subject to the five-year bar" and "should be approved for full coverage even if their immigration status would normally require them to first reside in the United States lawfully for five years" โ this is Michigan's adoption of the ICHIA / CHIPRA lawfully-residing option. For people without a qualifying status โ the manual names "undocumented non-citizens and non-immigrants who have stayed beyond the period authorized by USCIS" โ Medicaid "is limited to coverage of emergency services only" (ESO), which covers an emergency medical condition including labor and delivery. ๐ด๐ด Did-not-find, stated honestly: unlike California, Illinois, or New York, we found no Michigan state-funded program providing full-scope Medicaid to undocumented adults or children โ for people without a qualifying status, Michigan's Medicaid pathway is Emergency Services Only. Do not assume the whole family is barred, and do not assume everyone qualifies for full coverage โ a mixed-status household can have some members on full Medicaid (citizen, or lawfully residing children and pregnant people) and others eligible only for emergency services. ๐ด A federal law change (the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act) is scheduled to narrow immigrant Medicaid/CHIP eligibility effective October 1, 2026; Michigan's official page says "Most pregnant individuals and children under the age of 21 who lawfully reside in Michigan will also continue to receive full coverage." Because immigration rules are safety-critical and changing, verify your own household through MI Bridges or your local MDHHS office.
How to apply
What you'll need
Proof of identity, income, Michigan residency, household size, and Social Security number (if you have one); immigration/citizenship documents as applicable to the category. You can apply online through MI Bridges (newmibridges.michigan.gov), by phone, on paper, or in person at your local MDHHS office. Applying only for Emergency Services Only generally does not require immigration documentation. Applying for your children looks at the child's own status and does not require the parents to have immigration status. See the official apply page for the exact document list.
Timeline
Eligibility decisions are generally made within 45 days (up to 90 days for disability-based cases); retroactive coverage for up to 3 months before the application month. Emergency Services Only is handled on an emergency basis.
Go to the official application โMI Bridges (Michigan's official online application, newmibridges.michigan.gov) ยท or visit your local MDHHS office ยท official info at michigan.gov/mdhhs
Will it affect your green card? (Public charge)
โ Regular Medicaid does NOT count in the public charge test โ receiving it does not affect your green card or immigration application.
โ ๏ธ The one exception: Medicaid that pays for long-term institutional care (a long-term stay in a nursing facility or mental-health institution at government expense) DOES count. Everyday doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and home- and community-based care are not this exception.
โ Because the current rule excludes all non-institutional Medicaid, Medicaid for children, pregnancy, and emergencies also does not count. In mixed-status families, eligible citizen or qualified children can safely get the care they qualify for.
Public charge is assessed only for people applying for an immigrant visa abroad, or applying for adjustment of status (a green card) inside the United States.
Many categories are exempt by law: refugees, asylees, VAWA self-petitioners, T and U visa applicants, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ), Cuban/Haitian entrants, and others.
Public charge is generally not assessed when a green-card holder renews their card or naturalizes; a returning green-card holder is assessed only in limited cases (for example, an absence of more than 180 days).
This is information only, not immigration, legal, or tax advice. Public charge and your personal status are complex โ consult a licensed immigration attorney. We never tell you whether you "will" or "won't" be affected.
USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part G, Chapter 7 (benefits considered) and Chapter 3 (who it applies to) โ 8 USCIS-PM G.7 / G.3; regulation 8 CFR 212.21โ212.23; 2022 final rule 87 FR 55472. ยท 2022-12-23
Last checked: 2026-07-21
Policies can change โ always check the latest official information.
This site is informational only and is not immigration, legal, or tax advice. For public charge and your personal status questions, consult a licensed immigration attorney.
Medicaid in other states
Other benefits in Michigan
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