Federal law only allows Medicaid to cover U.S. citizens and certain qualified legally present immigrants or noncitizens. Starting October 1, 2026, changes to federal law will limit the types of lawfully present immigrants or noncitizens who can qualify for Medicaid.
You will only be able to get or keep Medicaid if you are one of the following:
• A Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)
after a five-year waiting period, unless you are exempt from the waiting period.
•
A Cuban-Haitian Entrant.• A Compacts of Free Association (COFA) Entrant.
• A lawfully present child or a pregnant woman regardless of immigration status.
You will no longer qualify for Medicaid if you are one of the following:
• A refugee.
• An asylee.
• Paroled for at least one year.
• A conditional Entrant.
• Granted withholding of deportation.
• Granted conditional entry prior to April 1, 1980.
• Amerasian.
• A survivor of domestic violence or human trafficking, and you have a pending status.
Time-Limited Emergency Medicaid will still be available to cover life-threatening medical conditions, regardless of immigration status, if you meet income requirements and reside in Kentucky.
If you are enrolled in Medicaid and affected by changes to eligibility due to your immigration or noncitizen status, you will be contacted.
Hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Centers must also serve individuals regardless of immigration status.
You may still be eligible for APTC if you are:
You will no longer qualify for APTC if you are:
- A refugee.
- An asylee.
- Paroled for at least one year.
- A conditional Entrant.
- Granted withholding of deportation.
- Granted conditional entry prior to April 1, 1980.
- Amerasian.
- A survivor of domestic violence or human trafficking and you have a pending status.
Full-Priced Qualified Health Plans will be available, and Catastrophic and other plans may be an option for some.