Medicaid in Massachusetts: 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).
MassHealth (Massachusetts Medicaid); undocumented children under 19 instead via the Children's Medical Security Plan (CMSP, a more limited children's plan); MassHealth Limited = emergency-only (for those with ineligible immigration status)
Who may qualify
Income limit
- Adults 19-64 (MassHealth Standard / CarePlus)≤ 133% FPLMassHealth CarePlus for adults 21-64 not otherwise eligible for Standard: ≤133% FPL (a 5% MAGI disregard effectively raises this to ~138% FPL for the applicable group). Parents/caretaker relatives get MassHealth Standard at ≤133% FPL. CarePlus/Standard require citizen or qualified-noncitizen status — undocumented adults get only MassHealth Limited (emergency).
- Children 0-18 (under 19)≤ 300% FPLMassHealth Standard for children ≤150% FPL; children 150%-300% FPL get MassHealth Family Assistance (premiums apply above 150% FPL; waived at or below 150%). Lawfully-present/PRUCOL children under 21 get comprehensive coverage; undocumented children under 19 are not enrolled in comprehensive MassHealth but may get the Children's Medical Security Plan (CMSP, more limited).
- Pregnancy (any age)≤ 200% FPLPregnant people ≤200% FPL get MassHealth Standard (full benefits) regardless of immigration status; coverage continues through 12 months postpartum.
Immigration-status rules in this state
Massachusetts (MassHealth) covers immigrants by group and — unlike California — does NOT give full-scope MassHealth to all adults regardless of status. (1) Pregnant/postpartum — pregnant people in ANY noncitizen group (including undocumented) may get full MassHealth benefits while pregnant and for 12 months postpartum, if otherwise eligible and within financial limits. (2) Children — children under 21 who are Lawfully Present Immigrants or PRUCOL can get comprehensive MassHealth; but children under 19 who are "other noncitizens" (i.e., undocumented) are NOT enrolled in comprehensive MassHealth and instead may get the Children's Medical Security Plan (CMSP), a more limited primary- and preventive-care plan. (3) Adults (19/21-64 and 65+) — comprehensive MassHealth (Standard/CarePlus) requires being a citizen or qualified noncitizen (e.g., a green-card holder past the 5-year bar); undocumented and other non-qualifying adults get only MassHealth Limited (emergency services, including labor and delivery) plus the Health Safety Net. Lawfully present people over the MassHealth income limits may buy subsidized ConnectorCare through the Massachusetts Health Connector. 🔴 Federal change: under the new federal law, as of October 1, 2026, some lawfully present immigrants lose comprehensive MassHealth (MassHealth estimates about 7,300 members affected) — e.g., refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees, people with status because they or a family member survived abuse or trafficking, people whose deportation was withheld, pre-1980 conditional entrants, and certain Iraqi/Afghan/Ukrainian/Amerasian immigrants. You are NOT affected if you also have a status such as green-card holder, Cuban/Haitian entrant, or COFA (Micronesia/Marshall Islands/Palau) migrant, OR are a child under 21, OR are pregnant/postpartum (pregnant within the last 12 months, whatever the outcome). Those affected switch to other coverage: members 65+ or disabled generally move to MassHealth Family Assistance, and members 21-64 and non-disabled generally move to MassHealth Limited and/or the Health Safety Net. This is a changing area — check the latest official MassHealth guidance.
How to apply
What you'll need
Proof of identity, income (MAGI household), Massachusetts residency, and household size; immigration documents as applicable. Pregnant people (any status) and lawfully-present/PRUCOL children are not denied comprehensive coverage for lack of a qualifying immigration status. Complete the Massachusetts Application for Health and Dental Coverage (ACA-3). See official MassHealth guidance 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 MA-specific timing with the official program.
Go to the official application →MassHealth (official). MAGI groups (adults/children/pregnant) apply online at the Massachusetts Health Connector (MAhealthconnector.org), by paper ACA-3, or by phone at MassHealth Customer Service 1-800-841-2900 (TTY 711); ages 65+/long-term care apply via the MassHealth senior application.
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
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