An October 15 Florida Trib report, republished by WUSF, describes immigrant families facing disputed Medicaid denials and missing notices in Florida.
Khem Raj Poudel, who was granted asylum and later became a permanent resident, received denials on August 17, August 27 and September 28. His lawyers say state policy allows him coverage. His family had appealed and was still awaiting a response as of October 14, the report says.
Those denials predated restrictions that took effect October 1 under the tax and spending law President Donald Trump signed in July 2025. The new provisions affect many lawfully present immigrants but do not remove immigration-based eligibility for lawfully present children through age 18.
The report describes a different situation for Leticia, who turned 19 on September 29 and lost coverage the following day. Her family said it received no notice. The state may have applied eligibility rules correctly in her case: adult coverage requires a qualifying immigration status, and a pending application does not suffice.
Lynn Hearn, legal director of the Florida Health Justice Project, said notices she reviewed failed to identify the immigration status the state had recorded or explain which statuses permit continued coverage. Florida's Department of Children and Families did not respond to The Trib's requests for comment.
