Health Insurance Options for Immigrants in California

Immigration status can affect eligibility for  Covered California subsidies,  Medi-Cal   and health insurance purchased directly from an insurance company.

• Lawfully present: You may qualify for Covered California, financial help or Medi-Cal, depending on your income, household and immigration category.
• Not eligible for Covered California: You may still qualify for Medi-Cal or be able to purchase a  direct insurance-company plan.
• Already enrolled in Medi-Cal: Renew on time. Some immigrants who already have full-scope Medi-Cal may be allowed to keep it even though new enrollment has been restricted.
• Unsure which rules apply?
  • Schedule a Zoom meeting  or
  • email Steve.

Information updated July 21, 2026.

Major 2027 Change: Many Lawfully Present Immigrants Will Lose Financial Help

Beginning January 1, 2027, federal law changes eligibility for   Covered California premium subsidies.    Covered California explains that many immigrants who are legally present will still be permitted to keep their health insurance but will no longer qualify for federal financial help.

See Covered California’s 2027 explanation.

Immigrant categories that may continue receiving financial help include:

• Lawful permanent residents, commonly called green-card holders.
• Cuban and Haitian entrants.
• Compact of Free Association, or COFA, migrants.

Major categories that may lose financial help include:

• People granted asylum.
• Refugees.
• Survivors of trafficking with T visas.
• People with Temporary Protected Status.
• People with work visas.
• Student-visa holders.

The loss of financial help does not necessarily mean the person must lose coverage.
Affected consumers may be permitted to remain enrolled through Covered California but may have to pay the full premium and higher deductibles, copayments and other out-of-pocket costs.

Review and correct your household, income and immigration information through  Covered California’s report-a-change process  before 2027 renewal rates are calculated.

DACA and Health Insurance

People with  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA,  are no longer eligible to purchase health or dental insurance through Covered California because of a federal rule change.

• Covered California coverage for previously enrolled DACA recipients ended no later than August 31, 2025.
• A DACA recipient may still qualify for  Medi-Cal,  depending on income, age, household and current Medi-Cal immigration rules.
• A DACA recipient may also be able to purchase  private health insurance directly from an insurance company.    No Covered California subsidy would apply to a direct plan.

Because eligibility depends on the person’s circumstances,  email Steve with the person’s age, ZIP code and household situation  before assuming that no coverage is available.

Medi-Cal Rules for Immigrants

California has changed  Medi-Cal eligibility  for some immigrants. Starting January 1, 2026, adults age 19 and older who do not have Satisfactory Immigration Status generally cannot newly enroll in full-scope Medi-Cal.

Read the current DHCS immigrant eligibility FAQs.

• Already enrolled: Some people who already had full-scope Medi-Cal may keep it as long as they remain eligible and renew on time.
• Children: Children under age 19 may qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal regardless of immigration status when they meet the other eligibility rules.
• Pregnancy: Special Medi-Cal protections remain available during pregnancy and for the applicable postpartum period.
• Emergency care: Emergency Medi-Cal may remain available to income-eligible people who do not qualify for full-scope coverage.

The exact result depends on the person’s immigration category.

Use the DHCS immigration-category chart  for the current category-by-category rules.

A  Medi-Cal Share of Cost  is a separate income-related issue. Do not assume someone qualifies for Share of Cost merely because the person cannot obtain regular full-scope Medi-Cal.

Public Charge: Important Federal Change Effective September 18, 2026

The federal  public-charge and lawful-presence rules  have changed. The Department of Homeland Security rescinded the detailed 2022 public-charge regulation, effective September 18, 2026.

Read the USCIS announcement.

• Public charge does not apply to every immigrant or every immigration application.
• Receiving health coverage or another benefit does not automatically produce a public-charge determination.
• Immigration officers may consider the individual’s overall circumstances under the rules and guidance applying to that immigration application.
• Eligibility for Medi-Cal or Covered California is not the same question as whether using a benefit could affect a future immigration proceeding.

Steve Shorr Insurance does not provide immigration or  legal advice.

A person concerned about a green-card application, admission to the United States, consular processing or another immigration matter should speak with a qualified immigration attorney or recognized nonprofit immigration legal-services organization.

Public-charge section last updated July 21, 2026.

Documents Used to Prove Immigration Status and California Residency

Covered California may request proof of immigration status or lawful presence   before completing eligibility or continuing coverage.

• Use the official Covered California list to identify a document accepted for your particular immigration category.
• Covered California generally requires only one acceptable immigration-status document from the applicable category.
• Submit the requested document online, by fax, by mail or in person before the deadline shown on the notice.
• Separately provide any requested   proof of identity or household income.
• Review our separate explanation of  California residency  when residency is also being questioned.

Do not send original immigration documents unless an agency specifically instructs you to do so. Keep a copy of every document submitted and proof of when it was uploaded, mailed or faxed.

Which Health-Coverage Path Fits Your Situation?

• Lawfully present and eligible for financial help?
  Review how  Covered California subsidies are calculated  and then  compare available plans and premiums.
• Low income or potentially eligible for a California public program?
  Review the  Medi-Cal eligibility information.
• Already assigned a Medi-Cal Share of Cost?
  Review ways that qualifying health-insurance premiums may help  reduce or eliminate a Medi-Cal Share of Cost.
• Not eligible for Covered California or financial help?
  Compare  health insurance purchased directly from an insurance company.
• Recently lost Medi-Cal or another health plan?
  Check whether you qualify for a  Special Enrollment Period.

There is no extra charge to
appoint Steve as your Covered California agent.

  Current Technical and Legal References

The practical consumer explanation appears above. These current resources are provided for insurance professionals, attorneys, advocates and readers who want additional detail.

• Covered California: Information for Immigrants
• Covered California: 2027 Financial-Help Changes
• Covered California: Proof of Immigration Status or Lawful Presence
• DHCS: Medi-Cal Immigrant Eligibility FAQs
• DHCS: Immigration-Category Eligibility Chart
• 45 CFR §155.20: Federal Marketplace Definitions
• USCIS: 2026 Public-Charge Rule Change