More than a year after state lawmakers eliminated the five-year waiting requirement for certain immigrants to qualify for Medicaid, the state is now opening coverage for immigrants who are under the age of 21 and pregnant.

The Michigan Legislature allocated $6.4 million from the 2023-2024 general fund to get rid of the five year eligibility waiting period for legal residents joining dozens of other states across the country in providing the benefits.

States have had the option to waive the five-year waiting period since 2009 through the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act.

“There might be people who have maybe previously thought they weren’t eligible for benefits, it might be a good time to go and see if they’re able to sign up, and their local offices should be able to get them signed up if they’re lawfully residing,” said Elinor Jordan, supervising attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the coverage extends to lawfully residing children and pregnant women, including green card holders, immigrant survivors of battery or extreme cruelty and their family members, as well as those with temporary protected status.

Public policy experts estimate the expansion could benefit nearly 10,000 people statewide.

“This policy change would bring Michigan closer to covering all children—and providing affordable, quality care to thousands more children in our state—while aligning our state law with that of most other states,” stated Simon Marshall-Shah, policy analyst at the Michigan League for Public Policy, in a 2021 analysis of the policy.

The change also includes postpartum coverage for up to a year for qualifying recipients. Before the expansion, legally residing pregnant individuals were eligible for Medicaid coverage for emergency services, including some prenatal and postnatal care.

Jordan says the move makes coverage much more comprehensive while also preventing medical debt for some people.

“We often work with clients, who are lawful residents and are contributing so much but have this crushing medical debt,” she said. “It can really take away from their productivity and their ability to full engage in their communities.”

Eligible Medicaid recipients can apply for the program directly on the state’s health department website.