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Can Non-Citizens Get Health Insurance in Michigan? (2027 Rules)
Yes, many non-citizens can buy health insurance in the U.S. What changed for 2027 is who gets financial help. Your immigration status decides your options, so it's worth getting this right before open enrollment.
Who can buy on the marketplace
People who are "lawfully present" can enroll in a marketplace plan through HealthCare.gov. That includes green card holders, many visa holders, refugees, asylees, and people with Temporary Protected Status, among others. DACA recipients are no longer eligible for marketplace coverage under a 2025 federal rule. Undocumented immigrants can't buy on the marketplace.
The big 2027 change: who gets tax credits
Under the 2025 federal budget law, starting January 1, 2027, premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions are limited to these lawfully present groups:
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
- Cuban and Haitian entrants
- People living in the U.S. under a Compact of Free Association (COFA)
Other lawfully present people, including refugees and asylees without a green card, TPS holders and people on work visas, can still enroll but must pay full price. If that's you, compare carefully: a full-price marketplace plan and a private plan may be closer in cost than you'd expect.
Medicaid
Most green card holders face a five-year waiting period before adult Medicaid, with exceptions such as refugees and asylees, and some states cover more using their own funds. Michigan expanded Medicaid, so adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level (about $22,025 a year for one person) can generally qualify for the Healthy Michigan Plan (Medicaid). Emergency Medicaid can still cover emergency care regardless of status.
Medicare
Under the same law, Medicare eligibility is also limited to citizens, green card holders, certain Cuban and Haitian entrants, and COFA migrants, with people outside those groups losing Medicare in early 2027.
Visitors, students and new arrivals
- Tourists and short-term visitors: travel medical insurance bought before or after arrival.
- International students: usually a school-sponsored plan, often required by the university.
- Work visa holders: often employer coverage. Without it, the marketplace at full price or a private plan.
Private plans
Some private underwritten plans accept applicants who aren't citizens or green card holders, but each carrier sets its own residency and documentation rules. Outside the marketplace, private shared-network plans are sold in Michigan on leased PPO networks (Cigna, Aetna and PHCS PPO). They're medically underwritten, so they ask health questions and price on age and health instead of income, but you can enroll any month and coverage starts on the 1st.
Michigan notes
In Michigan, open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs on HealthCare.gov from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Pick a plan by December 15, 2026 if you want coverage to start January 1, 2027; plans picked after that start later.
Immigration questions affect more than insurance, so if your status is unclear, talk to an immigration attorney before you apply anywhere. Then check your options and we'll show you what you can buy.
Frequently asked questions
Can green card holders get ACA subsidies in 2027?
Yes. Lawful permanent residents remain eligible for premium tax credits in 2027 if they otherwise qualify on income.
Can people on work visas buy marketplace insurance?
Yes, they can enroll if lawfully present, but starting in 2027 most will no longer qualify for premium tax credits and will pay full price.
Can undocumented immigrants get health insurance?
They can't buy through the marketplace. Options include emergency Medicaid, community health centers, state-funded programs where they exist, and some private plans.