Around 177,000 immigrants who are legally residing in Florida face the potential loss of their Medicaid coverage this Thursday, following the implementation of new federal restrictions that change who can access the program based on their immigration status, as reported by Telemundo 51.
The change is a direct consequence of the federal law H.R. 1, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act", signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025, which introduced new restrictions on access to Medicaid for certain categories of immigrants.
The new rules came into effect on October 1, 2026.
Who loses coverage?
The new rules eliminate access to Medicaid with federal funds for refugees, asylees, and humanitarian parole beneficiaries who do not have another status protected by law.
These categories were previously eligible for federal Medicaid if they met the other eligibility requirements.
The new legislation restricts access for those who do not fit into the expressly protected groups.
The impact is not limited to Florida: in Illinois, over 9,000 immigrants are also facing the loss of full coverage starting this Thursday.
Who maintains access?
Under the new rules, the following groups maintain eligibility for Medicaid with federal funding:
- Legal permanent residents, that is, holders of a permanent resident card (green card).
- Cubans and Haitians included in the Cuban/Haitian entrant category.
- Migrants from Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau under the Compact of Free Association (COFA).
In Florida, minors under 19 years of age who are legally residing continue to be eligible for Medicaid under the CHIPRA option.
Federal legislation also retains the possibility of coverage for certain children and pregnant women who are legally residing, according to the applicable rules.
U.S. citizens do not lose eligibility as a result of these new restrictions based on immigration status.
The specific case of Cubans
For the Cuban community, the situation has important nuances that are worth clarifying.
The category “Cuban/Haitian entrant” encompasses certain Cubans and Haitians who meet the criteria set by federal law and is explicitly included among the categories that retain access to Medicaid under the new rules.
However, being Cuban alone does not guarantee exemption: the person must be classified in that specific category or another protected by law.
Those applying for their residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act also enjoy specific protection against the public charge inadmissibility ground.
Applicants for adjustment of status under that law are exempt from that ground, so receiving Medicaid or other public assistance does not, by itself, constitute a reason to deny them residency under that provision.
The immigration attorney Willy Allen III was emphatic about this in recent days: “If I am Cuban, I will take the Adjustment Act and if I have received any assistance, I will disengage. Calmness. It doesn’t matter. Nothing to do with it. Because it is an exception. And it remains an exception.”
What should those who received a letter from the DCF do?
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) verifies immigration status through the federal SAVE system. When it cannot confirm it electronically, it sends a notification requesting documents from the beneficiary.
Those who have received that letter must send the required documentation before the indicated deadline through the MyACCESS platform, by postal mail, or by fax to the number listed in the notification.
You can also call the DCF call center at 850-300-4323.
If the DCF does not receive the requested documents or if they do not demonstrate that the person meets the new eligibility criteria, coverage may be canceled.
Emergency Medicaid remains available for those who meet its requirements, although it does not equate to regular coverage.
Parallelly, this Thursday also marks the opening of the annual Open Enrollment period for Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program, which extends until November 30 and allows those who already have Medicaid to change their plan without justification, a process that is separate and independent from immigration restrictions.
Los cambios en el acceso a beneficios según el estatus migratorio son parte de un panorama que evoluciona rápidamente. Sigue todos los detalles en nuestra sección de para mantenerte informado.
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