Get ready to sign up for health insurance

Thousands of Dreamer beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will be eligible for affordable health care coverage, with the rule set to take effect on November 1.

According to the Biden Administration’s announcement, the new federal regulation will expand access to health insurance to DACA beneficiaries, after the definition of “lawfully present” to enroll in some health care assistance programs was modified.

With all their contributions to the U.S. economy, young DREAMers have fought for their permanent legal status but also for rights such as health coverage, but now thanks to a rule implemented by the Department of Health and Human Resources starting in May, they are eligible to obtain medical coverage.

This rule will allow 100,000 uninsured DACA recipients to sign up for coverage through the Marketplaces or “Exchange,” the website where you can browse various ACA-subsidized health care plans.

Alexis Manzanilla, Health Policy Researcher at the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California (UC) at Berkeley, makes it clear that undocumented immigrants do not use health services, yet when they do, they pay more in premiums than they receive in benefits.

She also discusses enrollment periods for beneficiaries to be aware of.

Alexis Manzanilla, Health Policy Researcher at the Center for Labor Research and Education at UC Berkeley, says they can apply for insurance and also access the entire insurance marketplace.

Alexis Manzanilla, made it clear that they will not be affected by accessing this benefit for their legalization process.

The department should provide information to reliable community organizations so that the information reaches the Daca beneficiaries.

The government should provide information in their language.

Remember that DACA beneficiaries can begin registering for this coverage as of November 1 and the registration period will be open until January 15 of next year.