If you aren’t lawfully present in the United States, it’s hard to get health insurance. But, trying to get it is a good idea, so that you don’t have to cover the full cost of healthcare on your own.
- Does your employer offer health insurance? If so, consider taking it. You usually save money with a job-based plan compared to buying a plan on your own.
- Does your employer not offer health insurance? Then, the question is whether you can afford to buy your own.
- If you can afford to buy your own health insurance. Undocumented immigrants are not allowed to use the government’s Health Insurance Marketplace to buy health insurance. But, you can buy a health plan directly from an insurance company or through an insurance broker. If you’re a college student, you can generally enroll in your college’s student health plan without having your immigration status questioned.
- If you can’t afford to buy your own health insurance. In many states, undocumented immigrants aren’t ordinarily allowed to sign up for Medicaid or CHIP—government health insurance programs for people with low incomes. But, rules about Medicaid and CHIP differ from state to state and in certain states you may be able to sign up.
Some states permit a category of undocumented immigrants known as Permanently Residing under Color of Law (PRUCOL) to qualify for Medicaid or other healthcare benefits. Those are immigrants who don’t otherwise qualify for public benefits but who plan to stay in the United States. The US Citizenship and Immigration Service knows about their undocumented status but is not trying to deport them.
Some states offer low-income, pregnant women access to CHIP through a State Plan Amendment. That lets an undocumented immigrant enroll her unborn child in CHIP. That way, she can get coverage for pre-birth care and labor and delivery services. Those women also may be covered by other state or local programs. Some states and cities also offer coverage to undocumented children. Check in your own city or state to see what kind of help is available.