Status Update: DACA and the ACA

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued new regulations ending the exclusion of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients from accessing affordable health care through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. Ten years after the marketplaces were created, this change will allow DACA recipients to obtain health coverage and income-based financial assistance through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces.

While this policy shift is a significant victory for equitable access to health care, it's important to note that challenges persist. For example, DACA recipients are still ineligible for Medicaid and CHIP in states that offer these programs to lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant people. The expansion of ACA coverage to DACA recipients is a crucial step forward, but it's clear that further efforts are urgently needed to ensure comprehensive healthcare access for all residents in the United States.

Learn more about these changes and challenges in DACA and the ACA, and bring your questions for our September update!

Our guest speakers will include Raymond Rico, local immigration attorney, and Justin Gust, vice president of community engagement for El Centro.

Host or Publisher Communities Concerned for Immigrants and Refugees