Medicaid Benefits No Barrier to Green Cards, Agency Chief Says

Legal immigrants can receive Medicaid benefits without harming their chances of becoming a permanent resident , Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said Thursday.

The CMS is releasing an informational bulletin to the state Medicaid agencies reaffirming that the receiving benefits under the Medicaid program or the Children’s Health Insurance Program will have no bearing on an applicant’s immigration status, Brooks-LaSure told a conference audience.

The initiative is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to expand health-care access and promote health equity, she said.

“Eligible immigrants can apply for and maintain Medicaid coverage without risking ...