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Unauthorized immigrants are not eligible for federally or state-funded health coverage in Wisconsin. 

That includes Medicaid, Medicare and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and coverage purchased through the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) marketplaces.

Unauthorized immigrants also are not eligible for Wisconsin Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus.

Fourteen states, including Illinois and Minnesota, use state Medicaid funds to cover unauthorized immigrants, but Wisconsin does not.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Dec. 5 vetoed a Republican-backed bill that would have banned public money from going toward health care coverage for unauthorized immigrants.

Republicans said the bill was meant to be pre-emptive.

On Dec. 10, Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is running for governor in 2026, incorrectly said Evers’ veto allowed unauthorized immigrants “to continue to get taxpayer-funded health care.”

When Evers vetoed the bill he criticized it for “trying to push polarizing political rhetoric.”

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

• Wisconsin Watch Do tens of millions of unauthorized immigrants receive federal health benefits?
• Wisconsin Health Services Department Medicaid: Health Care Coverage for Noncitizens
• Wisconsin Watch Are unauthorized immigrants eligible for federal Medicaid coverage?
• WPR Evers vetoes bill to block Medicaid funds from undocumented residents
• Wisconsin Legislature Assembly Bill 308
• Rep. Alex Dallman Testimony in Favor of Assembly Bill 308
• Gov. Tony Evers Veto message
• Wisconsin Watch Here are 8 claims related to health care and immigration … and the facts

Did Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers allow unauthorized immigrants to get taxpayer-funded health care? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

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Wisconsin will receive an estimated $1 billion more annually in federal funds for Medicaid because the state budget includes a change that pre-empts a provision in President Donald Trump’s big bill.

Trump’s bill would have prevented Wisconsin from raising its hospital tax.

But days before Trump signed it, the Republican-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers approved a 2025-27 state budget that raises Wisconsin’s hospital tax from 1.8% to 6%.

The increase will raise some $1 billion more annually in federal matching funds that the state can use to pay hospitals for care they provide Medicaid patients.

Wisconsin’s largest Medicaid program is BadgerCare Plus, which provides health insurance to about 1 million low-income people age 64 and under.

Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who represents western Wisconsin, claimed that Trump’s bill “secured” the $1 billion.

The bill cuts roughly $1 trillion over 10 years from Medicaid, which costs nearly $900 billion annually.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

• Wisconsin Hospital Association: WI State Budget Bill Includes Historic Medicaid Rate Increase for Hospitals
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Derrick Van Orden claims credit for Wisconsin's extra Medicaid dollars after voting to cut the program
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ron Johnson laments Wisconsin's reach for Medicaid funds, spurred by the Trump bill he voted for
• Wisconsin Department of Administration: Wisconsin Health Services Department budget
• Wisconsin Legislature: Health Services budget
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services: BadgerCare Plus
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services: BadgerCare Plus
• X: Derrick Van Orden post
• Axios: Trump's spending bill cuts Medicaid: Here's what it's called in your state
• Kiplinger: What to Know About New Medicaid Cuts: Is Your Local Hospital Closing Soon?
• Wisconsin Watch: Have millions of nondisabled, working-age adults been added to Medicaid?

Does Donald Trump’s big bill provide an additional $1 billion annually for Wisconsin’s Medicaid program? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.