Which 14 states offer state-funded health coverage to undocumented immigrants and what are their program caps?
Executive summary
Fourteen states have established state-funded health programs that extend some public coverage to people regardless of immigration status—most commonly to children, several to pregnant people, and a smaller set to adults—with important age, enrollment and benefit limits that vary by state and are changing rapidly (Newsweek; KFF; CHCF) [1] [2] [3].
1. Which states make the list: the 14 named by multiple trackers
The 14 states most consistently identified as offering state-funded health coverage to people regardless of immigration status are California, New York, Illinois, Washington, New Jersey, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont, a list reported by Newsweek and reflected in state scans by KFF and the California Health Care Foundation [1] [2] [3].
2. How the programs differ: adults versus children, and state-only funding
These state programs are not uniform: many of the 14 use state-only funds to cover children and pregnant people, fewer extend adult full-scope coverage, and some expansions target specific age bands or income thresholds rather than open-ended access for all undocumented adults (KFF; Commonwealth Fund; NILC) [2] [4] [5].
3. Notable program caps and limits that are documented
California moved to full-scope, state-funded Medi‑Cal for low-income residents regardless of immigration status in 2024 but announced a freeze on new enrollment for undocumented adults 19+ beginning January 1, 2026 and further benefit and premium changes planned for 2026–2027 [6] [3]. Colorado operates a limited, state-funded subsidy program for undocumented residents with a fixed number of subsidized spots—11,000 in one year and 12,000 the next—though funding was reduced for 2026 [7]. Illinois’ “Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults” (HBIA) covered adults ages 42–64, and the state’s FY2026 budget proposed eliminating that program while preserving a seniors program for 65+ [8]. Minnesota extended state-funded coverage to adults regardless of status in January 2025 but paused enrollment in June 2025 and planned to end coverage by January 2026 [6].
4. Other state-level restrictions reported (children, pregnancy, age bands)
In other states the coverage is narrower: New Jersey’s program focused on children under 19, Connecticut historically covered children under 15 and has considered expansions for young adults and seniors, and New York and Illinois have targeted older adult cohorts in some programs—illustrating that “coverage” often means age- or program‑specific eligibility rather than universal adult access [1] [5] [8].
5. What remains unclear or changing—limits on benefits, enrollment and federal interplay
Multiple authoritative trackers note that states vary on benefit scope (full Medicaid-like benefits vs. limited services), enrollment caps, pauses and planned rollbacks, and that federal policy shifts affect what states can or will sustain; many specific per-state caps (exact enrollment ceilings, dollar limits on benefits, or phased premium rules) are either set by state budget action or changing and are not fully enumerated in the available high-level summaries (NILC; KFF; Commonwealth Fund) [5] [2] [4].
6. Stakes, political context and alternative viewpoints
Advocates argue these state-funded programs reduce uncompensated care, improve public health and are morally justified, while critics emphasize budget strain and claim potential immigration incentives; proposals and budget moves in states such as Illinois and California show the political fragility of these programs and how fiscal pressures immediately translate into enrollment freezes or program rollbacks (Newsweek; KFF; HFS Illinois) [1] [2] [8].