Helping Florida Moms and Babies Thrive: Waiving Medicaid’s Five-Year Waiting Period for Lawfully Residing Pregnant Women

This policy brief provides sets out the reasons Florida should waive the five‑year waiting period for lawfully residing pregnant women to enroll in Medicaid (known as the “ICHIA option”). It highlights that 31 states have already adopted this option and notes that expanding coverage would help about 2,000 additional women each year at relatively low cost while strengthening long‑term health and financial stability for families.

Skip to content