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Medicaid and CHIP Coverage of Lawfully Residing Children & Pregnant Individuals

The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) included a new option for states to provide Medicaid and CHIP coverage to children and pregnant individuals who are lawfully residing in the United States, including those within their first five years of having certain legal status. Previously, federal law required a 5-year waiting period before many legal immigrants were permitted to enroll in Medicaid and CHIP, although many states offered health coverage to these populations with state-only funds. This coverage may be applied to pregnant individuals in Medicaid and CHIP and/or to children up to age 19 for CHIP or up to age 21 for Medicaid who would otherwise be eligible for coverage through these programs.

Learn more about providing health coverage to lawfully residing children and pregnant women.

States providing Medicaid or CHIP coverage to lawfully residing children and/or pregnant individuals include:

State CHIP Medicaid
American Samoa*** Children and pregnant individuals
Arkansas Children Children and pregnant individuals*
California Children Children and pregnant individuals
Colorado Children and pregnant individuals Children and pregnant individuals*
Connecticut Children Children and pregnant individuals
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)*** Children and pregnant individuals*
Washington, D.C.*** Children and pregnant individuals
Delaware Children Children and pregnant individuals
Florida Children Children*
Hawaii*** Children and pregnant individuals*
Illinois Children Children*
Iowa Children Children
Kentucky Children and pregnant individuals Children and pregnant individuals*
Louisiana Children Children*
Maine Children Children and pregnant individuals
Maryland*** Children and pregnant individuals
Massachusetts Children Children and pregnant individuals
Minnesota Children Children and pregnant individuals
Montana Children Children*
Nebraska Children Children and pregnant individuals*
New Jersey Children and pregnant individuals Children and pregnant individuals
New Mexico*** Children and pregnant individuals
New York Children Children and pregnant individuals
Nevada Children Children and pregnant individuals*
North Carolina Children Children and pregnant individuals*
Ohio*** Children and pregnant individuals
Oregon Children Children*
Pennsylvania Children Children and pregnant individuals
Rhode Island Children and pregnant individuals Children*
South Carolina*** Children and pregnant individuals
Texas Children Children*
U.S. Virgin Islands*** Children and pregnant individuals
Utah Children Children*
Vermont*** Children and pregnant individuals
Virginia** Children and pregnant individuals Children and pregnant individuals*
Washington Children Children and pregnant individuals
West Virginia Children and pregnant individuals Children and pregnant individuals*
Wisconsin Children Children and pregnant individuals*
Wyoming Pregnant individuals

Updated as of May 4, 2023.

* These states cover children in Medicaid up to age 19.

** Virginia is using an 1115 demonstration to cover pregnant individuals.

*** These states are CHIP Medicaid expansion programs.