US legal immigrants face Medicaid coverage loss under new law

Starting October 1, hundreds of thousands of lawfully present immigrants in the United States are at risk of losing Medicaid coverage due to provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This legislation, signed by President Donald Trump, aims to reduce spending by more than $900 billion through 2034.

Those losing eligibility include refugees, asylees, victims of sex trafficking, and individuals who assisted U.S. service members in Afghanistan. While green card holders remain unaffected, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that changes to Medicaid eligibility for noncitizen adults could leave approximately 100,000 more immigrants uninsured by 2034.

State-level data indicates significant immediate impacts. In Florida, nearly 177,000 immigrants are expected to lose coverage. Across nine states and the District of Columbia, more than 281,000 immigrants are identified as being at risk of losing Medicaid this month. In Pennsylvania alone, an estimated 8,000 immigrants face becoming uninsured.