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2.5.3 Emergency Medical Assistance (Archive)
Emergency Medical Assistance (EMA) covers emergency services for certain people who meet the financial and non-financial eligibility requirements for Medical Assistance (MA), but are not eligible due to their immigration status.
The following people may qualify for EMA:
Noncitizens who do not have a lawfully present immigration status for MA eligibility, including noncitizens granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status
Noncitizens age 21 and older with a lawfully immigration status who are not eligible for MA because they do not have an MA qualified immigration status or who have not resided in the United States in a qualified status for five or more years
Sponsored noncitizens who are not eligible for MA because of their sponsors' income or assets
People enrolled in MA for people receiving services from the Center for Victims of Torture (MA-CVT) may also be eligible for EMA if they have a medical emergency. This allows the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to claim federal reimbursement for the emergency medical costs.
To qualify for EMA, a person must have a basis of eligibility for MA and must meet all the eligibility requirements for that basis of eligibility, with the exception of immigration status. A person's basis of eligibility determines the non-financial criteria and financial methodology used to determine EMA eligibility.
People may request retroactive eligibility for EMA up to three months before the month of application.
This subchapter includes policies that apply to EMA and links to policies that apply to all MA programs and all Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) programs.
Legal Citations
Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.139
Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 435.350
Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 440.255
Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.06, subdivision 4