Public Charge: Common Questions

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What is the Covering Kids & Families (CKF) outreach campaign?
The purpose of the CKF campaign is to educate immigrant parents that applying for health insurance benefits such as CHIP & Children's Medicaid for their U.S. citizen children will not harm them or endanger any family member's citizenship status. Misinformation and fear still prevents many immigrant families in Texas from accessing important health and nutrition benefits for which they may qualify. The CKF campaign aims to correct the misinformation and inform immigrant parents of their rights when applying for public benefits such as CHIP or Children's Medicaid.

Do I have to give a social security number to get Children's Medicaid or CHIP for my children?
No. Parents and other household members cannot be required to give their social security numbers to get CHIP or Children's Medicaid for their children. A social security number is only required from the child who receives the benefit. However, parents WILL be asked to provide a social security number, but this is only a request and not a requirement. Parents do not have to disclose that they do not have a social security number.

Do I have to give information about my immigration status in order to get CHIP or Children's Medicaid for my children?
No. Parents and other household members who are not applying for benefits for themselves do not have to give any information about their own immigration status to get CHIP or Children's Medicaid for their documented children (children that have a green card) or their U.S. citizen children.

What other information will I have to provide to get CHIP or Children's Medicaid for my children?
Even though a parent does not have to give information about their own immigration status or social security number, parents do still have to give information about their family's income and assets. Parents may also be asked to provide documents to prove the family's income and assets.

I'm applying for a green card or Lawful Permanent Residency (LPR) status. Can I still apply for CHIP or Children's Medicaid for my children without affecting my chances of getting a green card?
Yes. Parents can apply for CHIP or Children's Medicaid for their children without affecting their chances or their children's chances of getting a green card. Immigration officers will not consider government health benefits such as CHIP or Children's Medicaid.

I'm applying to become a U.S. citizen. Can I still apply for CHIP or Children's Medicaid without affecting my chances or my documented children's chances of becoming a U.S. citizen?
Yes. Parents can apply for CHIP or Children's Medicaid without affecting their chances or their documented children's chances of becoming a U.S. citizen. Government public benefits that pay for your child's immunizations, doctor and clinic visits, short-term hospital care, prescriptions, and many other health needs will not be considered by immigration officers.

What is a Public Charge?
If an immigrant is determined to be a "public charge", this means he/she is "primarily dependent on the government for subsistence as demonstrated by either the receipt of public cash assistance as income maintenance (e.g. TANF) or institutionalization for long-term care (e.g. nursing home) at government expense." This means immigration officials will not consider public health benefits except for nursing home care or other long-term institutional care.

What benefits will immigration officers consider when I try to get my green card?
If a parent or other family member is receiving a cash benefit such as SSI or TANF and it is the primary source of income for the household, immigration officers may determine the parent to be a public charge. Also, if the parent is in a long-term care facility, such as a nursing home paid for by Medicaid, he/she may also be considered a public charge. Immigration officials will NOT consider a parent to be a public charge because their documented or U.S. citizen children uses CHIP or Children's Medicaid benefits. The public charge test is only applied when immigrants are seeking a green card, not when they are applying for U.S. citizenship.

What if I'm still afraid to apply for CHIP or Children's Medicaid for my children even though I know I do not have to give a SSN or reveal my immigration status?
Parents may appoint an "authorized representative" to apply for their children's benefits on their behalf. This could be an attorney or another trusted source, such as a family friend. Parents can also bring a friend or other helper to any appointment they may have to get public benefits.

Can the information that I give when applying for CHIP or Children's Medicaid be shared with other agencies that are not directly involved with the eligibility process?
No. The benefit-granting agency cannot share any information with a federal agency that is not eligible to receive the information. Immigration officials cannot receive any application information, even if they request it. Doing so would violate client confidentiality laws. The only exception to this is if a parent commits fraud or gives false information to get Children's Medicaid or CHIP. Parents should never provide false information and always provide true and complete information about their household income and assets to get any public benefits. Persons who commit fraud CAN be reported to immigration officials.

Are there health services available for my documented children (children that have a green card/LPR status)?
Yes. Documented children are eligible to apply for health insurance coverage. If they qualify based on family income and assets, documented children will be enrolled in the CHIP program.

Are there health services available for my undocumented children?
Yes. In many parts of Texas, parents and their children can access health care services through a local community health center or clinic. Emergency care, delivery of a baby, diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases, and immunizations are available to all residents, even if they do not have immigration documents. Undocumented children, however, are not eligible to apply for health care coverage through CHIP or Children's Medicaid.

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