Medicaid in Illinois: what you may be able to apply for

🔎 Will this affect your green card?

Regular Medicaid does NOT count in the public charge test — receiving it does not affect your green card or immigration application. See details →

What it is

Public health insurance for low-income people, jointly funded by the federal and state governments. It covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, pregnancy, and children's care. States run it under federal rules, and each state has its own name and details (California calls it Medi-Cal).

Illinois Medicaid (via HFS, the Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services); children = All Kids; pregnant = Moms & Babies. State-funded immigrant programs: HBIA (Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults, ages 42-64) ENDED July 1, 2025; HBIS (Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors, 65+) still covers those already enrolled but has PAUSED new enrollment since Nov 6, 2023. Those with ineligible status can use Emergency Medical for Noncitizens.

Who may qualify

Income limit

Adults 19-64 (ACA expansion)≤ 138% FPLACA adults ≤138% FPL (2026: about $1,835/month for one person). Requires citizen or qualified-noncitizen status (e.g., a green-card holder past the 5-year bar). Undocumented/ineligible adults 19-64 do NOT qualify — after HBIA ended July 1, 2025 there is no state-funded comprehensive coverage, only Emergency Medical for Noncitizens and FQHCs.
Children 0-18 (under 19, All Kids)≤ 318% FPLChildren under 19 are covered by All Kids, and qualify regardless of immigration status (including undocumented). Per Illinois's current integrated-eligibility (MAGI) policy, the All Kids Assist income standard is 318% FPL (313% plus the 5% standard disregard) — IDHS states plainly, "The MAGI income standard for All Kids Assist is 318% (313% plus 5% standard disregard) of the federal poverty level (FPL)." Be careful about premiums: Illinois historically ran tiered cost-sharing (All Kids Assist free, then Share, then Premium Level 1, then Premium Level 2, with small monthly premiums per child), and HFS's consumer cost page still displays that Assist/Share/Premium chart — but that chart uses a dated income table (HFS form 3711AK, revised April 2019), while the current IDHS eligibility policy sets the All Kids Assist standard itself at 318% FPL. Because these two official sources do not line up on where premiums begin, we ground only the 318% ceiling and the tier names here and do not assert a current per-tier premium schedule — confirm whether and how much your family pays each month with HFS.
Pregnancy (any age, Moms & Babies)≤ 213% FPLMoms & Babies covers pregnant people with income ≤213% FPL regardless of immigration status, continuing through 12 months postpartum (babies covered to age 1).
Aged/Blind/Disabled (65+/AABD, non-MAGI)≤ 100% FPLAABD Medical ≤100% FPL (2026: about $1,330/month for one person, $1,803 for a couple); resource/asset limit $17,500 (2026). Immigration: qualified noncitizens follow the standard rules; undocumented seniors 65+ were previously covered through HBIS (state-funded), but HBIS new enrollment has been paused since Nov 6, 2023 and new applications are not accepted (already-enrolled members continue).

Immigration-status rules in this state

Illinois covers immigrants by group, and its coverage for undocumented adults has been sharply cut back. (1) Children — All Kids covers income-eligible children under 19 regardless of immigration status (HFS states plainly that children who meet the other requirements can get All Kids regardless of immigration status); this continues. (2) Pregnant people — Moms & Babies covers pregnant people regardless of immigration status, continuing through 12 months postpartum; this continues. (3) Adults 42-64 — Illinois previously ran a state-funded program, Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA), covering income-eligible noncitizens (including undocumented) regardless of status. 🔴 Due to the state's FY2026 budget, HBIA ENDED effective July 1, 2025; the last day of HBIA coverage was June 30, 2025. Illinois NO LONGER enrolls or gives comprehensive coverage to undocumented/ineligible adults ages 19-64. People who lost HBIA keep access only to Emergency Medical for Noncitizens (time-limited emergency services, including labor and delivery), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and free/charitable clinics; those with a documented status may qualify for the ACA Marketplace. (4) Seniors 65+ — the companion state-funded program, Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS), still covers already-enrolled seniors 65+ regardless of status, but NEW enrollment has been PAUSED since November 6, 2023 — new applications are not accepted. (5) Everyone else — standard, federally funded Illinois Medicaid (ACA adults, AABD) still requires U.S. citizen or qualified-noncitizen status (generally a green-card holder past the 5-year bar, refugees/asylees, etc.). This is a fast-changing, high-stakes area — always check the latest official HFS guidance. Do NOT assume Illinois covers undocumented adults: for ages 42-64 that coverage ended July 1, 2025, and for seniors 65+ new enrollment is closed.

How to apply

What you'll need

Proof of identity, income, Illinois residency, and household size; immigration documents as applicable. All Kids children and Moms & Babies pregnant people are not denied for lack of a qualifying immigration status. See official HFS guidance and the ABE apply page for the exact document list.

Timeline

Under federal Medicaid rules, an eligibility decision is generally made within 45 days (up to 90 days for disability-based cases); retroactive coverage for up to 3 months before the application month. Confirm IL-specific timing with the official program.

Go to the official application →

ABE (Application for Benefits Eligibility, official online portal abe.illinois.gov) · also by paper application or via Get Covered Illinois

Will it affect your green card? (Public charge)

✅ Regular Medicaid does NOT count in the public charge test — receiving it does not affect your green card or immigration application.

⚠️ The one exception: Medicaid that pays for long-term institutional care (a long-term stay in a nursing facility or mental-health institution at government expense) DOES count. Everyday doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and home- and community-based care are not this exception.

➕ Because the current rule excludes all non-institutional Medicaid, Medicaid for children, pregnancy, and emergencies also does not count. In mixed-status families, eligible citizen or qualified children can safely get the care they qualify for.

Public charge is assessed only for people applying for an immigrant visa abroad, or applying for adjustment of status (a green card) inside the United States.

Many categories are exempt by law: refugees, asylees, VAWA self-petitioners, T and U visa applicants, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ), Cuban/Haitian entrants, and others.

Public charge is generally not assessed when a green-card holder renews their card or naturalizes; a returning green-card holder is assessed only in limited cases (for example, an absence of more than 180 days).

This is information only, not immigration, legal, or tax advice. Public charge and your personal status are complex — consult a licensed immigration attorney. We never tell you whether you "will" or "won't" be affected.

USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part G, Chapter 7 (benefits considered) and Chapter 3 (who it applies to) — 8 USCIS-PM G.7 / G.3; regulation 8 CFR 212.21–212.23; 2022 final rule 87 FR 55472. · 2022-12-23

Last checked: 2026-07-16

Policies can change — always check the latest official information.

This site is informational only and is not immigration, legal, or tax advice. For public charge and your personal status questions, consult a licensed immigration attorney.

Medicaid in other states

California New Jersey New York Washington Massachusetts Oregon

Other benefits in Illinois

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

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