WAG 02-07-03-c
For all programs, verify United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) status for all noncitizens.
Medical Programs
For persons who report that they are U.S. citizens, documentation of citizenship and identity is required for all medical programs except for persons requesting or receiving Repatriate Assistance.
An electronic federal data connection, known as the Federal Data Hub, is available to electronically verify:
- U.S. citizenship from the Social Security Administration; and
- Immigration status from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
U.S. Citizens
When the electronic data source fails to verify citizenship for an applicant who reports to be a U.S. citizen, and the person meets all other factors of eligibility, medical benefits may be approved pending verification of U.S. citizenship.
Medicaid Qualifying Noncitizen
When the electronic data source fails to verify the status of a noncitizen, or the applicant cannot provide adequate information to run the clearance, for a person who reports to meet one of the Medicaid qualifying criteria that is listed in PM 03-01-02 sections b through i, medical benefits may be approved pending verification of immigration status.
Medicaid Ineligible Noncitizen
When noncitizen applicants do not meet one of the Medicaid qualifying criteria as listed in PM 03-01-00: Citizen/USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) Status, they are evaluated for eligibility for State funded health benefits. State funded health benefits include: Asylum Applicants and Torture Victims (AATV, see PM 06-21-00); Victims of Trafficking, and Torture or Other Serious Crimes (VTTC, see PM 06-30-00) and Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults/Seniors (PM 06-35-00 (HBIA);PM 06-36-00 (HBIS)). Noncitizens denied for both Federal Medicaid and State funded health benefits may be eligible to obtain health benefits through the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace by applying at Healthcare.gov.
Medicaid ineligible adult noncitizens may qualify for emergency medical (see PM 06-05-00) concurrently with State funded health benefits.
Derivatives of the HOH VTTC applicant are also eligible for VTTC. Derivate Family Members (DFM) are defined as: parents, children, siblings under 18 years of age and spouses if the marriage happened before the main VTTC applicant came to the U.S. AATV does not allow for Derivative Family Member eligibility.
VTTC applications dated prior to 6/5/2024 allows for a single adult applicant. VTTC applications dated on or after 6/5/2024 requires benefit applicants to have a child or other derivative family member.
AATV does not allow for Derivative Family Member eligibility.
Derivate Family Members (DFM) are defined as: parents, children, siblings under 18 years of age and spouses if the marriage happened before the main VTTC applicant came to the U.S..
For further guidance on VTTC verifications see Policy Memo dated 4/2/2024, Verifications Required for Victims of Trafficking, Torture, or Other Serious Crimes (VTTC) Assistance Programs - Clarification.
Note: Noncitizen children under the age of 19, who are undocumented, do not have to meet immigration requirements to qualify for All Kids. They must be Illinois residents. (see PM 03-01-02-j and PM 03-01-02-k).
90 Day Reasonable Opportunity Period
In the above situations the recipient is allowed a reasonable opportunity period of up to 90 days to provide the documentation necessary to verify their citizenship or immigration status.
The reasonable opportunity period may be extended beyond 90 days for individuals declaring to be in a satisfactory immigration status if the agency determines that the individual is making a good faith effort to obtain any necessary documentation, or the agency needs more time to verify the individual's status through other available electronic data sources or to assist the individual in obtaining documents needed to verify his or her status.
There is no limit to the number of reasonable opportunity periods an individual may receive.
Cash and SNAP
For all cash programs and SNAP, verify citizenship of a person born outside of the U.S. Do not verify USCIS status of a noncitizen who is not applying for SNAP benefits because they are unable or unwilling to provide information about USCIS status.
Do not deny SNAP benefits to a noncitizen who is a SNAP applicant if they claim to have satisfactory USCIS status and the Family Community Resource Center is waiting for proof of USCIS status through SAVE. Include the noncitizen in the SNAP unit. If the SAVE inquiry indicates the noncitizen is not eligible, remove the noncitizen from the SNAP unit. In this instance, benefits issued prior to removal from the SNAP unit are not an overpayment.
