Health Insurance for Immigrants in Florida: 2026 Guide

Health insurance for immigrants in Florida mostly means a HealthCare.gov Marketplace plan or an employer plan. Florida has not expanded Medicaid, its Medicaid limit for parents is 26% of the federal poverty level according to KFF, and most green card holders wait five years before Medicaid anyway. Children with lawful status are the exception, and a short bridge plan can protect you in the weeks before long term coverage begins.

Key facts at a glance

• No expansion: KFF's expansion tracker lists Florida as not having adopted the Medicaid expansion.
• Adult limits: KFF puts Florida's Medicaid limit for parents at 26% of the poverty level as of January 2026, with no income based pathway for adults without children.
• Children: Medicaid.gov's April 2026 table shows Florida covers lawfully residing children in Medicaid and CHIP without the five year wait.
• Marketplace size: KFF counts 4,538,772 Florida plan selections on HealthCare.gov for 2026, more than Texas or California.
• 2027 subsidies: according to KFF, from January 1, 2027 Marketplace tax credits are limited to lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants and residents from the Compact of Free Association nations.
• Hospital question: Florida Statutes section 395.3027 requires hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask about immigration status on admission forms, followed by a statement that the answer will not affect care.

What health insurance can immigrants get in Florida?

It depends on your status more than on your income. Here is how the main groups line up in 2026 and 2027, based on KFF's summary of the 2025 federal law and HealthCare.gov's eligibility rules:

• Green card holders: can buy Marketplace plans with tax credits now and in 2027; Medicaid usually only after five years, and only in narrow Florida categories.
• Cuban and Haitian entrants: KFF lists them among the groups that keep Marketplace tax credits from 2027 and Medicaid eligibility from October 1, 2026.
• Refugees, asylees, TPS holders and parolees: can still buy Marketplace plans if lawfully present, but lose tax credits from January 1, 2027, and refugees and asylees without green cards lose federal Medicaid eligibility from October 1, 2026.
• Work and student visa holders: lawfully present and able to buy Marketplace plans, but at full price from 2027; most rely on employer or school plans.

DACA recipients are not eligible for Marketplace coverage, according to HealthCare.gov, which points people without an option to community health centers that charge on a sliding scale.

Can green card holders in Florida get Medicaid?

Rarely in the first years. Most green card holders must wait five years after gaining qualified status before Medicaid can cover them. After that, Florida's own limits apply, and because the state has not expanded Medicaid, most adults only qualify through narrow categories such as very low income parents, pregnancy, age 65 and over or disability. KFF's 26% parent limit is a very small income for a family of three.

Your children are the group to act on first. Florida uses the federal option that lets lawfully residing children enroll in Medicaid and CHIP without the five year wait, so apply for them on day one even if the adults in your household do not qualify. Our overview of Medicaid eligibility for new immigrants covers the federal exceptions in more detail.

How do green card holders in Florida buy a Marketplace plan?

Florida uses HealthCare.gov. A new green card holder arriving from abroad can usually apply outside open enrollment, because HealthCare.gov lists moving to the US from a foreign country as a qualifying change for a Special Enrollment Period. The window is limited, typically 60 days, so do not wait until the first doctor's appointment.

HealthCare.gov describes premium tax credits for household incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. KFF notes that since January 1, 2026 lawfully present immigrants below 100% no longer qualify. In a non expansion state like Florida, that leaves a very low income new arrival with few options besides community health centers. For 2027 coverage, HealthCare.gov lists open enrollment from November 1 to January 15, with December 15 as the last day for a January 1 start. Our guide to the Marketplace for green card holders explains the application step by step.

What does Florida's hospital immigration question mean for you?

Under section 395.3027 of the Florida Statutes, hospitals that accept Medicaid must include a question on admission or registration forms asking whether the patient is a US citizen, lawfully present or not lawfully present. The statute requires the question to be followed by a statement that the answer will not affect patient care or result in a report to immigration authorities, and hospitals report counts, including patients who declined to answer, to the state.

For a lawfully present immigrant, the practical point is simple: expect the question, answer it or decline, and keep your insurance card with you. The bigger issue at a Florida hospital is the bill. Use our medical cost estimator to see what an emergency visit can cost without coverage.

What are the options for senior parents in Florida?

Many Florida families sponsor parents for green cards. KFF explains that immigrants without enough US work history must live in the US for five years immediately before enrolling in Medicare, so a newly arrived parent is usually outside Medicare and, because of the five year bar, outside Medicaid too. A Marketplace plan is the main comprehensive option, and HealthCare.gov notes that premiums can be up to three times higher for older people than for younger ones.

Once the five years pass, budget for Medicare costs: Medicare.gov lists 2026 Part A at $311 or $565 a month for people who must buy it, and Part B at $202.90 a month. A parent sponsored with Form I-864 should also know how the affidavit of support interacts with Medicaid; see our explainer on affidavit of support health insurance.

When does a bridge plan fit, and who cannot buy one?

A bridge plan fills the weeks between arrival and the start of Marketplace or employer coverage. The new immigrant plans you can compare on Ombrela are IMG's Patriot Lite, Plus and Platinum and Trawick's Safe Travels USA range. They exclude pre-existing conditions, and older applicants face lower limits: IMG caps Patriot Lite and Patriot Plus at $10,000 for travelers over 80, and Trawick's plans stop at age 89.

Eligibility by home country matters a great deal in Florida. According to the plan catalog, residents of Cuba and Venezuela cannot buy either IMG's Patriot plans or Trawick's Safe Travels USA plans. Trawick also excludes residents of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, while IMG's Patriot plans remain available to them. If no bridge plan is open to you, put your energy into starting Marketplace coverage on the earliest possible date, and remember that Cuban and Haitian entrants keep access to tax credits under the 2027 rules, according to KFF.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your own status or benefits, speak with an immigration attorney or accredited representative.

Download the Florida new arrival coverage checklist

Download our free Florida New Arrival Coverage Checklist below. It covers a Marketplace eligibility check, Florida Medicaid limits, a bridge plan comparison with home country checks, options for senior parents, the documents to bring and a key dates calendar for 2026 and 2027.

How to get covered

Apply on HealthCare.gov as soon as you arrive, enroll eligible children in Florida Medicaid or CHIP, then cover the gap. You can compare new immigrant insurance on Ombrela by age, dates and home country. Premiums depend on age, coverage length, policy maximum and deductible, so rely on live quotes rather than averages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can immigrants in Florida get Obamacare?

Lawfully present immigrants, including green card holders, refugees, asylees, TPS holders and many visa holders, can buy Marketplace plans on HealthCare.gov. From January 1, 2027, KFF reports that tax credits are limited to lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants and residents from the Compact of Free Association nations. Others can still enroll at full price. DACA recipients are not eligible for Marketplace coverage.

Do Florida hospitals report patients' immigration status?

Florida law requires hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask about immigration status on admission forms, and to state that the response will not affect patient care or result in a report of the patient's status to immigration authorities. Patients may decline to answer. Hospitals send the state aggregate counts. The question does not change your right to emergency treatment or your insurance coverage.

Can my Cuban or Venezuelan parent buy a bridge plan on Ombrela?

Not if their home country is Cuba or Venezuela. According to the plan catalog, residents of those countries are excluded from both IMG's Patriot plans and Trawick's Safe Travels USA plans, the new immigrant plans Ombrela can offer. The practical route is a Marketplace plan started as early as the rules allow, plus community health centers for routine care in the meantime.

When can a green card holder in Florida get Medicaid?

Usually only after five years in qualified status, and then only if they fit a Florida category such as a very low income parent, pregnancy, age 65 or over, or disability. Florida has not expanded Medicaid, so income alone rarely qualifies an adult. Children with lawful status can enroll without the five year wait, according to Medicaid.gov.

Florida gives new immigrants a big Marketplace and a narrow Medicaid program, so timing is everything. Apply early, protect your children first, and get new immigrant quotes on Ombrela for the weeks before your coverage begins.