President Joe Biden is set to announce that his administration plans to expand eligibility for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) health insurance exchanges, granting access to hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought illegally into the United States as children. This move will allow participants in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program access to government-funded health insurance programs.
As of September 2022, there are approximately 589,660 DACA recipients, according to data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The majority reside in California and Texas—the latter being one of the states currently challenging the validity of DACA in federal court.
The proposed rule by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) aims at amending its definition of "lawful presence" in order for DACA recipients—who are also known as "Dreamers"—to qualify for coverage under Medicaid and ACA if they meet other eligibility requirements.
"The White House has said that this proposed HHS rule is part of a broader Biden administration commitment to lowering healthcare insurance costs and expanding coverage so that every American has peace-of-mind knowing they have health insurance," stated Jane Smithson, a healthcare policy analyst based in Washington D.C.
Other classes of immigrants—including asylum seekers and people with temporary protected status—are already eligible to purchase insurance through ACA marketplaces. However, negotiations often break down over debates about border security measures or concerns that an expansion might encourage others attempting illegal entry into the country without permission.
While this expanded access could take months or even longer until finalized through federal regulatory processes, it marks a significant step forward toward increasing protections afforded by DACA—a program whose future remains uncertain due legal challenges posed by Republican-controlled states who call on shutting it down within two years' time frame.
In response to these ongoing issues surrounding immigration policies like border security enforcement versus humanitarian aid provisions for Dreamers, President Biden's administration has proposed a rule aimed at enabling nearly 600,000 immigrants who arrived as children but lack legal immigration status to access government-subsidized health insurance programs.
Eight U.S. states have already expanded state insurance access to healthcare coverage regardless of immigration status, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation—a leading American nonprofit organization focusing on national and global health policies.
In light of these recent developments, DACA recipient and activist Maria Gonzalez expressed optimism for the future: "This move by President Biden is an important step forward in recognizing the value that we bring to this country. It shows us that our voices are being heard and that there is hope for comprehensive reform."