The Biden administration released a new directive that will allow roughly 100,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children to enroll in the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance next year. This move is expected to take effect just days before the presidential election and will provide access to lucrative tax breaks for those who sign up for coverage. While this may help President Biden appeal to Latino voters, a crucial voting bloc, it is likely to prompt criticism from conservatives about his border and migrant policies. The action opens up the marketplace to participants in the DACA program, many of whom are Latino.
Xavier Becerra, the nation’s top health official, stated that many migrants in the DACA program have delayed getting care due to lack of coverage, resulting in higher costs and debts when they do seek care. By allowing Dreamers to enroll in coverage, it is expected to improve their health and well-being, as well as strengthen the nation’s health and economy. The new directive changes the definition of “lawfully present” so that DACA participants can legally enroll in the marketplace exchange. DACA was initiated by President Obama to protect immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children from deportation and allow them to work legally in the country.
The administration decided not to expand eligibility for Medicaid for these migrants after receiving feedback from over 20,000 comments on the proposal. Officials did not explain why the rule took so long to finalize, causing a delay in enrollment for this year. While over 800,000 migrants will be eligible to enroll in marketplace coverage, only 100,000 are predicted to sign up due to other possible coverage options or financial constraints. Other classes of immigrants, such as asylum seekers and those with temporary protected status, are already eligible to purchase insurance through the ACA marketplaces, also known as Obamacare.
The decision to allow DACA participants to enroll in the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance is a significant step in improving access to healthcare for this group of immigrants. By expanding coverage options and providing tax breaks, the administration aims to address the health needs of these individuals and improve their overall well-being. While the delay in finalizing the rule may have impacted enrollment numbers for this year, the new directive is expected to have a positive impact on the health and economy of the nation. DACA itself is facing legal challenges in federal court, but the administration’s move to extend healthcare coverage to Dreamers is a positive development in supporting the health and rights of immigrants in the U.S.
