CMS Issues Guidance on Medicaid Eligibility After DHS Ends Parole Programs for Four Countries
CMS issued an informational bulletin on July 14, 2026, addressing how state Medicaid and CHIP agencies should handle eligibility and verification after DHS terminated parole programs for Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan nationals. The guidance clarifies that individuals who entered under these programs and whose parole has been terminated no longer meet the qualified non-citizen immigration status required for Medicaid eligibility in most categories, though emergency Medicaid remains available. States must update verification processes and eligibility determinations to reflect the changed immigration status of affected individuals. The guidance affects states with significant populations who entered under these parole programs and requires immediate attention to systems and procedures.