Immigrants from Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands have signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States, which allows them to enter and leave the U.S. at will. These individuals are not eligible to receive MO HealthNet benefits unless they apply for immigrant status with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS – formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service) and are given a qualified immigrant status. Immigrants with a qualified status may be eligible for MO HealthNet benefits if all eligibility criteria are met.
Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau and Republic of the Marshall Islands have signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States, which allows them to enter and leave the U.S. at will.
As of December 27, 2020, in accordance with section 208 of the Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, these individuals are eligible to receive MO HealthNet benefits without applying for immigrant status with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS- formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service). These individuals are considered Qualified Noncitizens and are eligible for MO HealthNet as long as all other eligibility requirements have been met.
Note: This policy only applies to Medicaid programs funded through Title XIX, including MO HealthNet Non-Spend Down (MHNS), MO HealthNet Spend Down (MHSD), MO HealthNet for Families (MHF), MO HealthNet for Pregnant Women (MPW). Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) are funded through Title XXI and therefore are excluded from this policy. Refer to Appendix H – ME Codes Chart for a list of programs and their Title or Funding Source.