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23 Lawful Permanent Resident Eligible Eligible Eligible Eligible Eligible * "Veteran" includes certain veterans and active-duty service members, their spouses, dependent children, or certain surviving spouses. **Some victims of trafficking may need to provide certain verification to be exempt from the five-year waiting period (see SECTION 7.3.3.1.4 VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING). 7.3.8 Refugee Assistance Programs The federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides resources for refugees, asylum seekers, and other new arrivals to the U.S. to assist with their integration into their new community. Several benefit programs overseen by the ORR and operated by the Bureau of Refugee Programs in the Department of Children and Families are discussed here. 7.3.8.1 Counting Refugee Related Income Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) program payments are not counted as income for Medicaid. RCA is administered by Wisconsin Works (W-2) agencies and is made available for refugees who do not qualify for W-2. Refugee "Reception and Placement" (R&P) payments are not counted as income for Medicaid. R & P payments are made to refugees during the first 30 days after their arrival in the U.S. R & P payments are made by voluntary resettlement agencies and may be a direct payment to the refugee individual/ family or to a vendor. 7.3.8.2 Refugee Medical Assistance If refugees, asylees, and certain other immigrants apply for BadgerCare Plus or Wisconsin Medicaid and do not meet the eligibility requirements, they may be eligible for Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA). However, unlike BadgerCare Plus and Wisconsin Medicaid, Refugee Medical Assistance is a time-limited benefit and people must apply within a certain timeframe of receiving their refugee, asylee or other eligible immigration status. RMA provides the same level of benefits as BadgerCare Plus but is funded separately. While W-2 agencies have contractual responsibility for providing Refugee Medical Assistance, they must coordinate with income maintenance agencies to ensure eligibility is determined for all other BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid subprograms first. More information about this program is in the Bureau of Refugee Programs Policy Manual, Section 6. This page last updated in Release Number: 26-03 Release Date: 08/12/2026 Effective Date: 08/12/2026 7.4 Reserved This page last updated in Release Number: 19-01 Release Date: 4/19/2019 Effective Date: 4/19/2019