Refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking started losing Medicaid eligibility on Oct. 1 as a provision of the 2025 federal budget law took effect. More than 281,000 immigrants in nine states and the District of Columbia are expected to lose coverage, according to state counts gathered by KFF Health News.
The people affected are in the country legally. Many fled war or persecution, and some are interpreters who risked their lives helping U.S. service members in Afghanistan. Without coverage, many are likely to lose regular access to doctors and prescriptions, though emergency care remains available through a separate program.
