Medicaid in Minnesota: what you may be able to apply for
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).
Medical Assistance (MA, Minnesota's Medicaid program)
Final eligibility is decided by the agency
Policies can change — always check the latest official information.
🔎 Will this affect your green card?
Regular Medicaid does NOT count in the public charge test — receiving it does not affect your green card or immigration application. First, a sentence that may make this whole section irrelevant to you: many people are outside this assessment altogether. The exemption categories Congress created by statute remain in force — DHS said so in the July 20, 2026 rule: what it removed was the list, while "USCIS will provide training and guidance to its officers, including information about which aliens are statutorily exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility". ✅ Each of the following rests on its own statute and does not disappear with that list: refugees (8 U.S.C. §1157(c)(3): paragraph (4) of §1182(a) "shall not be applicable"); refugees and asylees adjusting status (§1159(c), same wording); Special Immigrant Juveniles (§1255(h)(2)(A): paragraph (4) "shall not apply"); and VAWA self-petitioners, U nonimmigrant applicants or holders, and battered spouses and children under §1641(c) (§1182(a)(4)(E): "shall not apply"). Battered spouses and children have a second layer of statutory protection: the law forbids considering any public benefits for them (INA §212(s)). If you hold a T visa: the law allows immigration authorities to waive the public charge ground (§1255(l)(2), "may waive") — but that waiver is discretionary; it does not apply automatically as the categories above do. ✅ This does not mean you cannot get a waiver; it means it has to be requested and explained case by case. Have a lawyer help you prepare it. For the full list, and whether you are in it, have a lawyer check. ✅ For what you received before September 18, 2026, the rule considers only two things: (a) public cash assistance for income maintenance (SSI, TANF cash, and state, tribal, territorial or local general-assistance cash) and (b) long-term institutionalization at government expense. Anything outside those two is not counted — that is written into the rule itself and has not changed. But if you did receive (a) or (b) before that date, those are considered; have an attorney look at your specific situation. (This is in the rule itself: it applies only going forward — DHS "will only consider the receipt of public cash assistance for income maintenance and long-term institutionalization at government expense before the effective date".) And if this assessment does apply to you — from September 18, 2026 onwards, things change — means-tested public benefits received on or after that day - that is, the public benefits that look at your income or assets when you apply - and for example SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and WIC, but not limited to these, because the rule names a whole category rather than a list, and not limited to federal programs either - state, territorial, Tribal and local ones count too (verbatim: "Federal, State, territorial, Tribal, and local programs that provide means-tested public benefits"); if you are not sure whether the one you receive counts, ask a licensed immigration attorney - may be weighed as one of the factors (the rule "will consider the receipt of any means tested public benefits on or after that date"). ✅ It is one factor among many, not an automatic denial. The rule requires each case to be weighed on all of its circumstances. How much weight any one of them carries has not been published — USCIS has not issued its operating guidance. We have not verified it; that is not the same as saying it has changed. If you are applying for a visa abroad, or entering at a port of entry: the above describes USCIS (applications filed inside the United States). The rule itself notes that CBP at a port of entry may consider different information; how consulates abroad apply it, we have not verified. See details →
Who may qualify
Income limit
- Adults 19-64 (ACA expansion)≤ 138% FPLThe state (DHS Eligibility Policy Manual) states 133% FPG for adults without children and for parents/caretaker relatives; with the ACA 5% income disregard it reaches about 138% FPG.
Source:Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) · checked 2026-07-21
Official excerpt
“Parent and caretaker relatives: less than or equal to 133% FPG. Adults without children: less than or equal to 133% FPG”
2.2.3.3 MA-FCA Income Limit
View the official document → (Opens in a new tab)Calculated from the official sources listed below; not read as a single value from one quotation
- 2.2.3.3 MA-FCA Income Limit (Opens in a new tab)
- Medicaid, CHIP, & BHP Eligibility Levels — official CMS MAGI table, state decisions as of Dec. 1, 2023; includes NC pregnancy 196%, VA pregnancy Medicaid/CHIP 143%/200%, IN CHIP/pregnancy 250%/208%, CO pregnancy CHIP 260%, MN pregnancy 278%, AL CHIP 312%, OK adults/children/pregnancy 133%/205%/205%, and ME children 300% (Opens in a new tab)
- CMS FAQ 92591 — the MAGI disregard equals five percentage points of FPL and applies only when it makes the difference between overall Medicaid/CHIP eligibility and ineligibility (Opens in a new tab)
- Adults/families (via MinnesotaCare)≤ 200% FPLMinnesotaCare is Minnesota's state Basic Health Program, covering residents with income up to 200% FPG who do not qualify for MA; it charges a small monthly premium based on income. Income above 200% FPG makes a person ineligible for MinnesotaCare. Lawfully present noncitizens and DACA grantees can enroll; undocumented children under 18 are covered through state-funded MinnesotaCare (see the immigrant rules).
Source:Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) · checked 2026-07-21
Official excerpt
“a change in circumstance that results in ineligibility (e.g., increase in income above 200% of federal poverty guidelines, no longer a Minnesota resident...)”
DHS Announces MinnesotaCare Eligibility Changes for Certain Undocumented Individuals · #25-21-05
View the official document → (Opens in a new tab) - Infants under 2≤ 283% FPLInfants (under 2) are covered by MA up to 283% FPG; infants with income between 275% and 283% FPG who are not enrolled in other health insurance are covered through CHIP-funded MA (see the CHIP entry).
Source:Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) · checked 2026-07-21
Official excerpt
“Infants under 2: less than or equal to 283% FPG. Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funded MA may be available for infants with income between 275% and 283% FPG who are not enrolled in other health insurance”
2.2.3.3 MA-FCA Income Limit
View the official document → (Opens in a new tab) - Children 2 through 18≤ 275% FPLChildren 2 through 18 are covered by MA up to 275% FPG. Those 19 and 20 fall under the adult 133% FPG line. Undocumented children under 18 are covered through state-funded MinnesotaCare regardless of status (see the immigrant rules).
Source:Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) · checked 2026-07-21
Official excerpt
“Children 2 through 18: less than or equal to 275% FPG. Children 19 and 20: less than or equal to 133% FPG”
2.2.3.3 MA-FCA Income Limit
View the official document → (Opens in a new tab) - Pregnancy≤ 278% FPLPregnant people are covered by MA up to 278% FPG. Pregnant people who are undocumented or otherwise not eligible for MA can be covered through CHIP-funded MA during pregnancy and the 12-month postpartum period, regardless of immigration status (see the immigrant rules).
Source:Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) · checked 2026-07-21
Official excerpt
“Pregnant people: less than or equal to 278% FPG”
2.2.3.3 MA-FCA Income Limit
View the official document → (Opens in a new tab)
Immigration-status rules in this state
Minnesota adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion, giving Medical Assistance (MA, Minnesota's Medicaid) to income-eligible adults 19-64 (up to 133% FPG; effectively about 138% with the ACA 5% income disregard). Minnesota also runs MinnesotaCare, a state Basic Health Program that covers people with income up to 200% FPG who do not qualify for MA. Immigrant scope depends on the group. (1) Lawfully present noncitizens, and DACA grantees, can apply for MA or MinnesotaCare under the state rules; Lawful Permanent Residents generally face the federal 5-year waiting period for full MA, but MinnesotaCare and other paths may apply. (2) Undocumented children (under 18): covered through MinnesotaCare regardless of immigration status — this coverage is state-funded and delivered fee-for-service (FFS). (3) Pregnant people who are undocumented or otherwise not eligible for MA: covered through CHIP-funded MA during pregnancy and the 12-month postpartum period, regardless of immigration status. (4) Undocumented adults (18 and older): Minnesota briefly opened MinnesotaCare to undocumented adults on January 1, 2025, but the 2025 Legislature reversed it — beginning June 15, 2025 MinnesotaCare stopped accepting undocumented applicants 18 or older, and MinnesotaCare eligibility and coverage for all undocumented adults 18+ ended December 31, 2025. From January 1, 2026, undocumented enrollees who turn 18 lose MinnesotaCare at the end of their birthday month. So today an undocumented adult (18+, not pregnant) qualifies for neither MinnesotaCare nor full MA; the remaining option is Emergency Medical Assistance (EMA), which covers emergency care regardless of status. Do not assume undocumented-adult coverage still exists — this changed. This is a changing area — rely on the latest official Minnesota DHS guidance. What federal H.R.1 does to Minnesota — and what Minnesota catches (from the state House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee briefing of February 24, 2026). From October 1, 2026, legal non-citizens aged 21 or older who are not pregnant must hold one of three statuses to qualify for Medical Assistance: lawful permanent resident, Cuban or Haitian entrant, or Compact of Free Association migrant. So the people who lose MA coverage include refugees, humanitarian parolees, asylum grantees, certain abused spouses and children, and victims of human trafficking. But read the next sentence together with that one, in the state's own words: "In MN, people may be eligible for state-funded MinnesotaCare." What the federal side cuts off, Minnesota picks up in part with state money. Do not stop reading at the words "lose MA". Three further changes start January 1, 2027: work and community engagement requirements, renewal every six months instead of annually, and a shortened retroactive eligibility period. The six-month renewal matters especially for immigrant families: doubling how often you renew doubles the chances of losing coverage to a letter you never saw, and language barriers and moving house already raise that risk — keep your address and contact details up to date. This is a fast-changing area; rely on the latest official DHS guidance.
How to apply
What you'll need
Proof of identity, income, Minnesota residency, and household size; immigration documents as applicable. Coverage for children under 18 and pregnant people is not denied for lack of satisfactory immigration status (through state-funded MinnesotaCare / CHIP-funded MA). See the official MNsure / DHS application for the exact document list.
Timeline
Under federal Medicaid rules, an eligibility decision is generally made within 45 days (up to 90 days for disability-based cases); retroactive coverage for up to 3 months before the application month. Confirm MN-specific timing with the official program.
Go to the official application → (Opens in a new tab)MNsure (official online application) · also via your county or Tribal human services office
Will it affect your green card? (Public charge)
✅ Regular Medicaid does NOT count in the public charge test — receiving it does not affect your green card or immigration application. First, a sentence that may make this whole section irrelevant to you: many people are outside this assessment altogether. The exemption categories Congress created by statute remain in force — DHS said so in the July 20, 2026 rule: what it removed was the list, while "USCIS will provide training and guidance to its officers, including information about which aliens are statutorily exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility". ✅ Each of the following rests on its own statute and does not disappear with that list: refugees (8 U.S.C. §1157(c)(3): paragraph (4) of §1182(a) "shall not be applicable"); refugees and asylees adjusting status (§1159(c), same wording); Special Immigrant Juveniles (§1255(h)(2)(A): paragraph (4) "shall not apply"); and VAWA self-petitioners, U nonimmigrant applicants or holders, and battered spouses and children under §1641(c) (§1182(a)(4)(E): "shall not apply"). Battered spouses and children have a second layer of statutory protection: the law forbids considering any public benefits for them (INA §212(s)). If you hold a T visa: the law allows immigration authorities to waive the public charge ground (§1255(l)(2), "may waive") — but that waiver is discretionary; it does not apply automatically as the categories above do. ✅ This does not mean you cannot get a waiver; it means it has to be requested and explained case by case. Have a lawyer help you prepare it. For the full list, and whether you are in it, have a lawyer check. ✅ For what you received before September 18, 2026, the rule considers only two things: (a) public cash assistance for income maintenance (SSI, TANF cash, and state, tribal, territorial or local general-assistance cash) and (b) long-term institutionalization at government expense. Anything outside those two is not counted — that is written into the rule itself and has not changed. But if you did receive (a) or (b) before that date, those are considered; have an attorney look at your specific situation. (This is in the rule itself: it applies only going forward — DHS "will only consider the receipt of public cash assistance for income maintenance and long-term institutionalization at government expense before the effective date".) And if this assessment does apply to you — from September 18, 2026 onwards, things change — means-tested public benefits received on or after that day - that is, the public benefits that look at your income or assets when you apply - and for example SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and WIC, but not limited to these, because the rule names a whole category rather than a list, and not limited to federal programs either - state, territorial, Tribal and local ones count too (verbatim: "Federal, State, territorial, Tribal, and local programs that provide means-tested public benefits"); if you are not sure whether the one you receive counts, ask a licensed immigration attorney - may be weighed as one of the factors (the rule "will consider the receipt of any means tested public benefits on or after that date"). ✅ It is one factor among many, not an automatic denial. The rule requires each case to be weighed on all of its circumstances. How much weight any one of them carries has not been published — USCIS has not issued its operating guidance. We have not verified it; that is not the same as saying it has changed. If you are applying for a visa abroad, or entering at a port of entry: the above describes USCIS (applications filed inside the United States). The rule itself notes that CBP at a port of entry may consider different information; how consulates abroad apply it, we have not verified.
⚠️ 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.
➕ 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.
The statute itself names the moments at which this is assessed. INA § 212(a)(4)(A) (8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(4)(A)) reads that an alien is inadmissible who, "in the opinion of the consular officer at the time of application for a visa, or in the opinion of the Attorney General at the time of application for admission or adjustment of status, is likely at any time to become a public charge." ⇒ Three occasions are named: applying for a visa, applying for admission, and applying for adjustment of status. Two things are commonly read too narrowly, and both errors point the same way — toward "this does not concern me": the statute says "a visa" and does not limit that to immigrant visas; and "application for admission" is its own separate occasion. We do not tell you whether your own situation is one of these — that depends on your case; consult a licensed immigration attorney.
The exemptions are not "a few categories" — the regulation lists twenty-nine of them. 8 CFR 212.23(a) opens: "The public charge ground of inadmissibility under section 212(a)(4) of the Act does not apply … to the following categories of aliens," and then runs (1) through (29). Among those most relevant to readers of this site: refugees (1); asylees (2); Cuban and Haitian entrants (5); Cuban Adjustment Act applicants (6); NACARA (7); Special Immigrant Juveniles (10); Temporary Protected Status (12); T nonimmigrants (17) and (18); U nonimmigrants (19); VAWA self-petitioners (20); battered spouses and children who are qualified aliens under PRWORA § 431(c) (21); Afghan and Iraqi interpreters (4); nationals of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos (25). Category (29) has to be read along with the rest, and it is the one most easily missed: "Any other categories of aliens exempt under any other law from the public charge ground of inadmissibility provisions under section 212(a)(4) of the Act." ⇒ "I am not in the categories listed above" does not mean "I am not exempt." The full list of 29 is at 8 CFR 212.23(a). That regulation is scheduled for removal on September 18, 2026 (91 FR 45477); on that date this whole block closes rather than continuing to show old text — but the statutory exemptions themselves come from their own laws and do not disappear with it. Whether your case falls within one is a question for a licensed immigration attorney. These exemptions do not disappear with that list: in the rescission rule of July 20, 2026 DHS says so itself — "Although DHS is removing the regulation listing exemptions, the statutory exemptions created by Congress for certain Cuban and Haitian applicants for adjustment of status continue to exist." Note the scope of that sentence: it is DHS responding to a comment about Cuban and Haitian applicants, and it covers only those two groups. Each of the 29 categories rests on its own statute, which the regulation merely collected in one place - and that is why the list does not vanish with the regulation.
Renewing a green card and naturalizing are generally not occasions for a public charge assessment. For a green-card holder returning from a trip abroad, the statute writes out an exhaustive list of when they are treated as seeking admission at all. 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(13)(C): a lawful permanent resident "shall not be regarded as seeking an admission … unless the alien—" falls within one of six situations: (i) has abandoned or relinquished that status; (ii) has been absent for a continuous period in excess of 180 days; (iii) has engaged in illegal activity after departing; (iv) departed while under legal process seeking removal, including removal or extradition proceedings; (v) has committed an offense identified in 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(2), unless relief has since been granted under § 1182(h) or § 1229b(a); or (vi) is attempting to enter at a time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or has not been admitted after inspection and authorization by an immigration officer. Those six are the whole of what the statute gives — the widely quoted "180 days" is only item (ii), not the only one. Whether your own situation falls within any of them is a question for a licensed immigration attorney; this site does not judge individual cases.
This is information only, not immigration, legal, or tax advice. Public charge and your personal status are complex — 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) — 8 USCIS-PM G.7 / G.3; regulation 8 CFR 212.21–212.23; 2022 final rule 87 FR 55472. · 2022-12-23
Source:U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (uscis.gov) · checked 2026-07-16
Official excerpt
“Long-term institutionalization at government expense is the only category of Medicaid-funded services (limited to institutional services provided under section 1905(a) of the Social Security Act) considered in a public charge inadmissibility determination.”
Chapter 7 - Consideration of Current and/or Past Receipt of Public Cash Assistance for Income Maintenance or Long-term Institutionalization at Government Expense | USCIS · 8 USCIS-PM G.7
View the official document → (Opens in a new tab)Frequently asked questions
What is Medicaid?
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).
Who can apply for Medicaid in Minnesota?
Generally, Adults 19-64 (ACA expansion): ≤ 138% FPL; Adults/families (via MinnesotaCare): ≤ 200% FPL; Infants under 2: ≤ 283% FPL; Children 2 through 18: ≤ 275% FPL; Pregnancy: ≤ 278% FPL. The agency makes the final determination.
Can non-citizens or people without immigration status get Medicaid?
Minnesota adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion, giving Medical Assistance (MA, Minnesota's Medicaid) to income-eligible adults 19-64 (up to 133% FPG; effectively about 138% with the ACA 5% income disregard). Minnesota also runs MinnesotaCare, a state Basic Health Program that covers people with income up to 200% FPG who do not qualify for MA. Immigrant scope depends on the group. (1) Lawfully present noncitizens, and DACA grantees, can apply for MA or MinnesotaCare under the state rules; Lawful Permanent Residents generally face the federal 5-year waiting period for full MA, but MinnesotaCare and other paths may apply. (2) Undocumented children (under 18): covered through MinnesotaCare regardless of immigration status — this coverage is state-funded and delivered fee-for-service (FFS). (3) Pregnant people who are undocumented or otherwise not eligible for MA: covered through CHIP-funded MA during pregnancy and the 12-month postpartum period, regardless of immigration status. (4) Undocumented adults (18 and older): Minnesota briefly opened MinnesotaCare to undocumented adults on January 1, 2025, but the 2025 Legislature reversed it — beginning June 15, 2025 MinnesotaCare stopped accepting undocumented applicants 18 or older, and MinnesotaCare eligibility and coverage for all undocumented adults 18+ ended December 31, 2025. From January 1, 2026, undocumented enrollees who turn 18 lose MinnesotaCare at the end of their birthday month. So today an undocumented adult (18+, not pregnant) qualifies for neither MinnesotaCare nor full MA; the remaining option is Emergency Medical Assistance (EMA), which covers emergency care regardless of status. Do not assume undocumented-adult coverage still exists — this changed. This is a changing area — rely on the latest official Minnesota DHS guidance. What federal H.R.1 does to Minnesota — and what Minnesota catches (from the state House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee briefing of February 24, 2026). From October 1, 2026, legal non-citizens aged 21 or older who are not pregnant must hold one of three statuses to qualify for Medical Assistance: lawful permanent resident, Cuban or Haitian entrant, or Compact of Free Association migrant. So the people who lose MA coverage include refugees, humanitarian parolees, asylum grantees, certain abused spouses and children, and victims of human trafficking. But read the next sentence together with that one, in the state's own words: "In MN, people may be eligible for state-funded MinnesotaCare." What the federal side cuts off, Minnesota picks up in part with state money. Do not stop reading at the words "lose MA". Three further changes start January 1, 2027: work and community engagement requirements, renewal every six months instead of annually, and a shortened retroactive eligibility period. The six-month renewal matters especially for immigrant families: doubling how often you renew doubles the chances of losing coverage to a letter you never saw, and language barriers and moving house already raise that risk — keep your address and contact details up to date. This is a fast-changing area; rely on the latest official DHS guidance. Federal Medicaid generally requires a "qualified" immigration status, and most people must wait five years after getting that status (the "five-year bar") before applying. Refugees, asylees, and certain others are exempt from the five-year wait; emergency Medicaid is available regardless of status. Some states (such as California) use state funds to cover more people — see your state's details. The 2025 federal law OBBBA (H.R.1, Public Law 119-21, enacted July 4, 2025) significantly narrows eligibility: effective Oct 1, 2026 (Section 71109), federal Medicaid/CHIP funding is limited to four groups — U.S. citizens/nationals, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), Cuban/Haitian entrants, and COFA migrants (Micronesia/Marshall Islands/Palau). Refugees, asylees, trafficking victims, parolees, and other "qualified aliens" who are not yet LPRs lose federal eligibility (refugees/asylees can generally regain it after becoming LPRs). Emergency Medicaid remains available regardless of status (though Section 71110 lowers its federal match to the regular FMAP effective Oct 1, 2026 — this does not change its availability); the state options for lawfully-residing children and pregnant women are preserved. Section 71119 adds community-engagement (work) requirements for ACA-expansion adults (19-64) effective Dec 31, 2026 (or sooner at state option) — at least 80 hours/month, with exemptions for pregnant/postpartum people, the medically frail, caretakers of a child under 14, and others. This is a changing area — check the latest official guidance. The agency makes the final determination.
Does getting Medicaid affect my green card?
Regular Medicaid does NOT count in the public charge test — receiving it does not affect your green card or immigration application. First, a sentence that may make this whole section irrelevant to you: many people are outside this assessment altogether. The exemption categories Congress created by statute remain in force — DHS said so in the July 20, 2026 rule: what it removed was the list, while "USCIS will provide training and guidance to its officers, including information about which aliens are statutorily exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility". ✅ Each of the following rests on its own statute and does not disappear with that list: refugees (8 U.S.C. §1157(c)(3): paragraph (4) of §1182(a) "shall not be applicable"); refugees and asylees adjusting status (§1159(c), same wording); Special Immigrant Juveniles (§1255(h)(2)(A): paragraph (4) "shall not apply"); and VAWA self-petitioners, U nonimmigrant applicants or holders, and battered spouses and children under §1641(c) (§1182(a)(4)(E): "shall not apply"). Battered spouses and children have a second layer of statutory protection: the law forbids considering any public benefits for them (INA §212(s)). If you hold a T visa: the law allows immigration authorities to waive the public charge ground (§1255(l)(2), "may waive") — but that waiver is discretionary; it does not apply automatically as the categories above do. ✅ This does not mean you cannot get a waiver; it means it has to be requested and explained case by case. Have a lawyer help you prepare it. For the full list, and whether you are in it, have a lawyer check. ✅ For what you received before September 18, 2026, the rule considers only two things: (a) public cash assistance for income maintenance (SSI, TANF cash, and state, tribal, territorial or local general-assistance cash) and (b) long-term institutionalization at government expense. Anything outside those two is not counted — that is written into the rule itself and has not changed. But if you did receive (a) or (b) before that date, those are considered; have an attorney look at your specific situation. (This is in the rule itself: it applies only going forward — DHS "will only consider the receipt of public cash assistance for income maintenance and long-term institutionalization at government expense before the effective date".) And if this assessment does apply to you — from September 18, 2026 onwards, things change — means-tested public benefits received on or after that day - that is, the public benefits that look at your income or assets when you apply - and for example SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and WIC, but not limited to these, because the rule names a whole category rather than a list, and not limited to federal programs either - state, territorial, Tribal and local ones count too (verbatim: "Federal, State, territorial, Tribal, and local programs that provide means-tested public benefits"); if you are not sure whether the one you receive counts, ask a licensed immigration attorney - may be weighed as one of the factors (the rule "will consider the receipt of any means tested public benefits on or after that date"). ✅ It is one factor among many, not an automatic denial. The rule requires each case to be weighed on all of its circumstances. How much weight any one of them carries has not been published — USCIS has not issued its operating guidance. We have not verified it; that is not the same as saying it has changed. If you are applying for a visa abroad, or entering at a port of entry: the above describes USCIS (applications filed inside the United States). The rule itself notes that CBP at a port of entry may consider different information; how consulates abroad apply it, we have not verified. 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. The exemptions are not "a few categories" — the regulation lists twenty-nine of them. 8 CFR 212.23(a) opens: "The public charge ground of inadmissibility under section 212(a)(4) of the Act does not apply … to the following categories of aliens," and then runs (1) through (29). Among those most relevant to readers of this site: refugees (1); asylees (2); Cuban and Haitian entrants (5); Cuban Adjustment Act applicants (6); NACARA (7); Special Immigrant Juveniles (10); Temporary Protected Status (12); T nonimmigrants (17) and (18); U nonimmigrants (19); VAWA self-petitioners (20); battered spouses and children who are qualified aliens under PRWORA § 431(c) (21); Afghan and Iraqi interpreters (4); nationals of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos (25). Category (29) has to be read along with the rest, and it is the one most easily missed: "Any other categories of aliens exempt under any other law from the public charge ground of inadmissibility provisions under section 212(a)(4) of the Act." ⇒ "I am not in the categories listed above" does not mean "I am not exempt." The full list of 29 is at 8 CFR 212.23(a). That regulation is scheduled for removal on September 18, 2026 (91 FR 45477); on that date this whole block closes rather than continuing to show old text — but the statutory exemptions themselves come from their own laws and do not disappear with it. Whether your case falls within one is a question for a licensed immigration attorney. These exemptions do not disappear with that list: in the rescission rule of July 20, 2026 DHS says so itself — "Although DHS is removing the regulation listing exemptions, the statutory exemptions created by Congress for certain Cuban and Haitian applicants for adjustment of status continue to exist." Note the scope of that sentence: it is DHS responding to a comment about Cuban and Haitian applicants, and it covers only those two groups. Each of the 29 categories rests on its own statute, which the regulation merely collected in one place - and that is why the list does not vanish with the regulation. This is information only, not immigration, legal, or tax advice. Public charge and your personal status are complex — consult a licensed immigration attorney. We never tell you whether you "will" or "won't" be affected.
How do I apply for Medicaid in Minnesota?
Proof of identity, income, Minnesota residency, and household size; immigration documents as applicable. Coverage for children under 18 and pregnant people is not denied for lack of satisfactory immigration status (through state-funded MinnesotaCare / CHIP-funded MA). See the official MNsure / DHS application for the exact document list. Under federal Medicaid rules, an eligibility decision is generally made within 45 days (up to 90 days for disability-based cases); retroactive coverage for up to 3 months before the application month. Confirm MN-specific timing with the official program. Policies can change — always check the latest official information. https://www.mnsure.org
Official sources
- CMS FAQ 92591 — the MAGI disregard equals five percentage points of FPL and applies only when it makes the difference between overall Medicaid/CHIP eligibility and ineligibility (Opens in a new tab)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Medicaid.gov) · checked 2026-08-22 · Document effective 2013-08-09
- Medicaid, CHIP, & BHP Eligibility Levels — official CMS MAGI table, state decisions as of Dec. 1, 2023; includes NC pregnancy 196%, VA pregnancy Medicaid/CHIP 143%/200%, IN CHIP/pregnancy 250%/208%, CO pregnancy CHIP 260%, MN pregnancy 278%, AL CHIP 312%, OK adults/children/pregnancy 133%/205%/205%, and ME children 300% (Opens in a new tab)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Medicaid.gov) · checked 2026-08-22 · Document effective 2023-12-01
- 2.2.3.3 MA-FCA Income Limit (Opens in a new tab)
Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) · checked 2026-08-23 · This document states no effective date
- DHS Announces MinnesotaCare Eligibility Changes for Certain Undocumented Individuals (Opens in a new tab)
Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) · #25-21-05 · checked 2026-08-23 · Document effective 2025-06-15
Last checked: 2026-07-21
Policies can change — 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.