Title: 6 Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance Options
Headings: How to Get Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance
How to Get Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance
Medicaid
Affordable Care Act Subsidy
Short-Term Health Insurance
Job-Based Health Plan
Spouse's Health Plan
Parent's Health Plan

Content: Medicaid may be available to immigrants who have been legally residing in the United States for five years or more if they meet eligibility requirements. 5 ﻿
Medicaid isn’t usually available to undocumented immigrants, although there may be exceptions such as short-term limited Medicaid coverage in emergency situations, and emergency coverage for people who are pregnant. And again, Medicaid eligibility varies from state to state. California, for example, has chosen to extend Medicaid eligibility to undocumented children and young adults who otherwise meet the income criteria for eligibility. 6 ﻿
Medicaid is paid for by federal and state taxes, and administered at the state level (which is why coverage and eligibility rules vary from one state to another). If you receive Medicaid, your friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens are paying for your health care with their tax dollars. Although Medicaid is government health insurance, the vast majority of care provided to Medicaid recipients is provided by private businesses and healthcare providers. If you get Medicaid, you’ll likely be cared for at the same hospitals and by the same physicians as your neighbors with private health insurance. And most states contract with private insurance companies to administer the coverage, which means your coverage ID card may display the name of a well-known private health insurer. 7 ﻿
You can apply for Medicaid through your Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange or by contacting your state’s Medicaid program directly.