Which U.S. states currently fund health coverage for undocumented immigrants and what are the eligibility rules?

1. Which states currently offer state‑funded coverage to undocumented people — the headline list and why it’s messy

Multiple national scans identify roughly 14 states plus DC that offer some form of state‑funded coverage for people who are undocumented or otherwise ineligible for federal programs, with lists that overlap but are not identical; Newsweek names California, New York, Illinois, Washington, New Jersey, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont ^[4], while KFF and CHCF list a core group including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington and note additional state efforts such as Colorado’s ^{[3] [1]}. These counts reflect different definitions (children vs. adults, full Medicaid‑like benefits vs. limited programs), and states’ choices have shifted rapidly in 2024–2026, so any single list requires caveats ^{[1] [3]}.

2. Who is covered — common eligibility rules across states

The dominant rule across state programs is income eligibility: most state‑funded programs require applicants to meet low‑income thresholds similar to Medicaid/CHIP and then carve coverage by age or pregnancy status rather than immigration status alone, so many programs cover children and pregnant people first and expand adult access more selectively ^{[2] [1]}. Several states explicitly limit coverage to certain ages — for example, many states cover children regardless of status while a smaller subset extend state‑funded benefits to adults, often with age floors or caps tied to program design or funding ^{[2] [3]}.

3. Adults vs. children vs. pregnant people — how coverage differs

Children and pregnant people are the most commonly covered groups: 14 states and DC use state‑only funds for immigrant children, while fewer — KFF reports seven states plus DC — use state funds to cover immigrant adults, and six states (California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon, and Washington, plus D.C.) have expanded fully state‑funded coverage to some income‑eligible adults regardless of immigration status ^{[2] [3]}. In practice, states often grandfather or phase in these populations, and benefits packages and cost‑sharing rules differ from state Medicaid ^{[2] [3]}.

4. Recent and important carve‑backs, pauses, and program endings

State policies have been in flux: California made Medi‑Cal full‑scope to low‑income residents regardless of status in 2024 but began pausing new enrollment for undocumented adults 19+ starting January 2026 and announced cuts to dental benefits and future premiums ^{[5] [1]}. Minnesota expanded to adults in January 2025 but paused enrollment in June 2025 and planned to end coverage by January 2026 ^[5]. Illinois’ Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) ended June 30, 2025 amid budget constraints, leaving only some seniors covered ^[6]. These program changes illustrate that a state’s inclusion on a “who covers undocumented people” list can change quickly ^{[5] [6]}.

5. Federal law and the limits states face

Federal law generally bars undocumented immigrants from federally funded Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare, and ACA premium tax credits, so state efforts are largely state‑only funded or rely on CMS waivers; federal policy changes (and recent federal legislation) have reduced federal matching opportunities and tightened eligibility for many lawfully present immigrants starting in 2026, increasing the fiscal pressure on states that choose to provide state‑funded coverage ^{[7] [8] [9]}. States may also use waiver authorities to create state‑based financial assistance or exchange access irrespective of immigration status — Washington, Maryland and Colorado have pursued such waivers in the past ^[10].

6. What this means in practice — takeaways and where reporting diverges

The practical takeaway is that a core set of states (notably California, New York, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, Utah and others) have built state‑funded pathways for at least some undocumented people — especially children and pregnant people — while a smaller group has bridged coverage for adults, but many of these programs are limited, age‑restricted, temporarily paused, or under budgetary threat ^{[1] [3] [5]}. Reporting differences reflect differing definitions (children vs. adults, full‑scope vs. limited benefits) and the fast pace of policy change in 2024–2026, so state‑by‑state verification against official state agency pages is required for enrollment details ^{[11] [6]}.