Immigrant Seniors Lose Medicare Coverage Despite Paying for It

A federal policy change will strip Medicare from an estimated 100,000 lawfully present immigrants, including a longtime California resident who fears losing her health coverage and legal status

Apr. 7, 2026 at 3:18am

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray photograph revealing the internal structure of a human heart and lungs, glowing with a faint, ethereal light against a dark background, symbolizing the vulnerability of the aging body without proper healthcare.As lawfully present immigrant seniors lose access to Medicare, the fragility of their health and the importance of consistent medical care are laid bare.Oakland Today

Rosa María Carranza, a 67-year-old child development professional in Oakland, California, will lose her Medicare coverage next year due to a federal policy change that restricts health care for certain lawfully present immigrants. Carranza, who has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Medicare and Social Security over 24 years, is worried about the impact on her health and retirement as she faces the possibility of also losing her legal status in the U.S.

Why it matters

The GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by former President Trump, bars certain categories of lawfully present immigrants from Medicare, including temporary protected status holders, refugees, asylum-seekers, and others. This move by Republican lawmakers to rein in Medicare spending has left an estimated 100,000 legal residents facing the loss of their health coverage, raising concerns about delayed care and increased strain on emergency services.

The details

Carranza, who left El Salvador during a civil war in 1991 and later qualified for temporary protected status, has worked as a caregiver and educator for over three decades. She had counted on getting Medicare and Social Security benefits in her retirement, but now faces the prospect of losing both her health coverage and legal status in the U.S. The loss of Medicare will force Carranza to pay out-of-pocket for medical care, which she worries could lead to delayed treatment and a decline in her health.

  • In July 2025, President Donald Trump signed the GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which barred certain categories of lawfully present immigrants from Medicare.
  • On January 4, 2026, Carranza and an estimated 100,000 other lawfully present immigrants will be disenrolled from Medicare as a result of the new policy.

The players

Rosa María Carranza

A 67-year-old child development professional in Oakland, California, who will lose her Medicare coverage next year despite having contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the program over 24 years.

Donald Trump

The former president who signed the GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which barred certain categories of lawfully present immigrants from Medicare.

Mia Bonta

A California state Assembly member who chairs the Assembly's health committee and is working on a legislative budget solution to bring immigrants who will lose health coverage, including older adults, into the state's Medicaid program.

Theresa Cheng

An emergency physician at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of California-San Francisco, who anticipates that seniors losing Medicare coverage will delay their care, leading to an increase in severely ill patients, especially in hospital emergency rooms.

Drishti Pillai

The director of immigrant health policy at KFF, who states that this change is the first time Congress has taken away Medicare from any group, impacting immigrants who have lawful presence in the U.S. and have worked and paid into the system for decades.

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What they’re saying

“This is like a horror movie, a complete nightmare. This is not how I imagined getting old.”

— Rosa María Carranza

“They don't want to turn the United States into a welfare magnet. And they resent the government for making them pay for a welfare state.”

— Michael Cannon, Director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute

“This change is impacting immigrants who have lawful presence in the U.S., and many of whom have already worked and paid into the system for decades.”

— Drishti Pillai, Director of immigrant health policy at KFF

“It's quite easy for them to fall off the cliff.”

— Theresa Cheng, Emergency physician at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of California-San Francisco

“Given these fiscal pressures, the administration cannot backfill for this change in federal policy.”

— H.D. Palmer, Spokesperson for the California Department of Finance

What’s next

State Assembly member Mia Bonta, who chairs the Assembly's health committee, is working on a legislative budget solution to bring immigrants who will lose health coverage, including older adults, into California's Medicaid program.

The takeaway

This case highlights the significant impact of federal policy changes on lawfully present immigrant seniors, who have contributed to the U.S. system for decades but now face the loss of critical health coverage and retirement benefits. It raises broader questions about the treatment of legal immigrants and the responsibility of state and federal governments to ensure access to health care for all residents, regardless of immigration status.