What to know about DACA health insurance policy changes

What to know about DACA health insurance policy changes

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For many Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA recipients, also known as Dreamers), access to affordable healthcare has been a significant challenge. These immigrants have often been forced to go without insurance or rely on emergency room visits as their only source of medical care.

That made it great to hear from President Joe Biden last week that DACA recipients will soon be able to access the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid benefits. With this new policy, DACA recipients will be able to gain access to primary care, preventive services, and prescription medications.

This decision will have a significant impact on the approximately 600,000 DACA recipients and their US citizen children who will now be able to secure and purchase health insurance through the ACA.

The proposed rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) amends the definition of “lawful presence” to include DACA recipients for eligibility for Medicaid and marketplace coverage. Medicaid and exchange applications will have to verify their eligibility electronically when they apply for coverage, the administration said.

”Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege, and my administration’s worked hard to expand healthcare. And today, more Americans have health insurance than ever,” President Biden said in a pre-recorded video announcing the decision.

RELATED: NYC celebrates DREAMers, 10th anniversary of DACA program

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