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Public Charge and Immigration


Important Information for Patients with Medicare and those with Medicare/Medi-Cal coverage

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in September its proposed changes to "public charge" rules that could penalize immigrants who use certain government programs including Medi-Cal. DHS officially published its proposal "Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds" in the Federal Register on October 10, 2018.

DHS's proposed changes expand the types of benefits that may be considered for public charge.

We advise anyone concerned about how this change may impact their particular immigration circumstance to review the rule and to talk to a legal expert.

Our Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program will not be affected. Anyone who needs WIC can continue to use the program without fear of it affecting their immigration status.

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