Undocumented immigrants cannot get federal Medicaid in Illinois, but the state runs its own programs that cover some of the same ground. Seniors 65 and older can qualify for Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS), though new enrollment has been paused since November 2023. Children under 19 can enroll in All Kids regardless of immigration status. Anyone can receive Emergency Medicaid for a true medical emergency. Adults between 42 and 64 lost their dedicated program on July 1, 2025, and now have the fewest options.
Why Federal Medicaid Is Off the Table
Federal law bars anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or a “qualified” immigrant from receiving almost all federal public benefits, including standard Medicaid.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 U.S. Code 1611 – Aliens Who Are Not Qualified Aliens Ineligible for Federal Public Benefits Qualified status covers lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and a handful of other categories. Undocumented residents fall into none of them, and that includes people with DACA or Temporary Protected Status for these purposes.
Undocumented immigrants also cannot buy insurance through the ACA Marketplace, even at full price.2Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Health Coverage Options for Immigrants What Illinois offers instead is a set of state-funded programs that do not rely on federal money and therefore are not bound by federal immigration rules.
Coverage for Seniors 65 and Older
Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors is the closest thing to full Medicaid available to undocumented Illinois residents. It launched in 2020, is entirely state-funded, and offers a broad benefit package: primary care, prescription drugs, dental, vision, vaccines, and transportation to appointments. Most services carry no copay, though a non-emergency inpatient hospital stay costs $250.3HFS Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors
To qualify, a person had to be 65 or older, living in Illinois, ineligible for federal Medicaid because of immigration status, with household income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level ($15,960 for a single person or $21,640 for a couple in 2026) and household assets of $17,500 or less.
The important caveat: HBIS has been closed to new enrollment since November 6, 2023. People already enrolled before that date keep their coverage and can renew it, but no one else can join, and the state has not published a date for when enrollment might reopen.4Illinois Department of Human Services. Health Benefit Coverage for Immigrant Seniors – Enrollment Pause
Adults 42 to 64: The Program That Closed
Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults, the parallel program for undocumented residents aged 42 to 64, stopped accepting new applications on July 1, 2023, and ended coverage entirely on June 30, 2025. The state cited fiscal year 2026 budget constraints and chose to keep the senior program running instead.5Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults
If you are in this age range and lost HBIA, your remaining options are Emergency Medicaid for acute crises and federally qualified health centers for ongoing care. Both are covered below.
All Kids Coverage for Children Under 19
Illinois covers children under 19 through All Kids regardless of the child’s or parent’s immigration status. The state does not check immigration status unless an applicant voluntarily provides an Alien Registration Number.6Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. About All Kids
Eligibility runs up to 318% of the federal poverty level. At the lowest income tiers, coverage is essentially free; higher-income families pay modest premiums and copays. Benefits include doctor visits, hospital care, dental, vision, prescriptions, and mental health services. For undocumented parents, this is often the most accessible piece of the Illinois system: any child living in the state who meets the income test can enroll, no matter the family’s status.
Emergency Medicaid for Acute Care
Federal law does carve out one narrow exception. Under 42 U.S.C. ยง 1396b(v), states must cover treatment for emergency medical conditions for people who meet all other Medicaid rules (income, state residency) but lack qualifying immigration status.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 U.S. Code 1396b – Payment to States
An emergency medical condition means acute symptoms severe enough that delaying care could seriously endanger health, seriously damage bodily functions, or seriously impair an organ. Emergency labor and delivery is explicitly included. Once the emergency is stabilized, coverage ends. Routine checkups, follow-up visits, chronic disease management, and preventive care are not covered.
Practically, if you arrive at an emergency room with a genuine emergency, the hospital stabilizes you and bills the state’s Medicaid program. That is the whole of the coverage. For adults who lost HBIA, this is now the federal safety net.
Federally Qualified Health Centers
Federally qualified health centers, or FQHCs, are the most practical option for anyone without insurance. These clinics receive federal grants under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act and are required to serve everyone regardless of ability to pay. They do not collect immigration status.
FQHCs provide primary care, dental care, and behavioral health. Uninsured patients with household income below 200% of the federal poverty level pay on a sliding scale, so what you owe depends on what you earn. Some visits cost very little or nothing. Illinois has dozens of these clinics, concentrated in medically underserved areas. They will not replace comprehensive insurance, but they can handle routine care, chronic conditions, and prescriptions at a fraction of private-market prices.
Will Using These Programs Hurt My Immigration Case
This is the most common reason people skip care they qualify for, and the fear is largely misplaced for the programs above. Under the current public charge rule, USCIS does not consider most noncash benefits when deciding admissibility.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Public Charge Resources
The following are not counted against you:
- Medicaid, other than long-term institutional care such as a Medicaid-paid nursing home
- Emergency medical services
- CHIP and children’s health programs, including All Kids
- Community health center visits
- Immunizations and communicable disease testing
Taking your child to an All Kids appointment, using Emergency Medicaid, or visiting an FQHC will not be held against you if you later apply for a green card or other immigration benefit. The only health-related benefit that triggers public charge scrutiny is long-term institutional care at government expense.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Receiving Public Benefits Might Impact the Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility
How to Apply
Illinois runs all of its state-funded health programs through the Application for Benefits Eligibility system, or ABE, at ABE.Illinois.gov. You create an account, complete one application, and the system screens you for every program you might qualify for.10State of Illinois. IL Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE)
Have documents ready: proof of identity, proof that you live in Illinois, and records of income and assets such as pay stubs or bank statements. If the state cannot verify something electronically, it will contact you by mail or phone.11Illinois Department of Human Services. IDHS – ABE Portals
Two things to keep in mind. HBIS enrollment is paused, so a new application will not produce senior coverage right now. And even if you personally do not qualify for anything, filing through ABE is still worth doing if you have children, because All Kids uses the same application.