WA State Adopts Medicaid-Style Program for Undocumented Residents

On July 16, TJ Martinell reported for The Center Square that Washington state allocated $150 million to fund a Medicaid-style program offering healthcare to illegal aliens. The 2024 legislative session determined Apple Health Expansion’s funding according to a presentation by the Washington State Health Care Authority.

“[T] he Apple Health Expansion program provides Medicaid-equivalent coverage for illegal aliens who are 19 and older and with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level,” Martinell wrote.

“The program opened for participants on June 20, 2024, with a maximum allowance of 13,000 enrollees. That limit was met within 48 hours of the program launching, with 17,000 on the waiting list, according to the Health Care Authority,” Martinell noted.

Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero reported on May 15 for the Washington State Standard that “local advocates have praised the Apple Health Expansion program for immigrants, saying it extends a critical safety net to a community that has been excluded.” “Federal law prohibits noncitizens from accessing public benefits such as Medicaid, but states can use state dollars to create programs for this community,” Romero wrote.

“These victories are the result of decades of movement-building, sacrifice, and visionary struggle to ensure all immigrants have the resources needed to thrive,” Catalina Velasquez, executive director of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it rescinded a policy that extended certain federal public benefits to immigrants lacking permanent legal status. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in May that it would increase federal oversight to prevent states from using federal Medicaid funds to cover healthcare for undocumented immigrants. Previously, Healthcare Innovation reported on President Trump’s signature budget legislation, which would penalize 14 states that offer health coverage to unauthorized immigrants.