Congressional Dems push feds to increase coverage for DACA recipients
It's imperative, they said, that DACA recipients are aware of the special enrollment period and understand their eligibility.
Photo: John Baggaley/Getty Images
A group of almost 90 congressional Democrats have cosigned a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services that asks the agency to shore up Affordable Care Act access for those receiving Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said this spring that close to 100,000 DACA recipients will be eligible for individual marketplace insurance, and can begin receiving benefits by December 1 if they enroll by the November 15 deadline.
Open enrollment begins November 1, and Democrats want HHS to invest more in outreach and enrollment assistance before that time to further ensure access for DACAs.
Lawmakers said in the letter that, while they appreciate the finalization of the regulation that expanded eligibility to DACA recipients, for the expansion to be successful, "HHS must ensure that every newly eligible individual is fully informed and supported during the enrollment process," they wrote.
It's imperative, they said, that DACA recipients are aware that they have a special enrollment period that aligns with the annual open enrollment period, and that they're informed of their eligibility and are able to navigate the registration process.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT?
To accomplish this goal, lawmakers suggested that HHS should invest resources into paid media outreach, funding to community organizations to disseminate information, and HHS staff time into a targeted outreach program for newly eligible DACA recipients.
They also called for robust training for anyone assisting in outreach and enrollment, including call center employees, navigators, certified application counselors, brokers and agents.
"HHS should proactively take steps to prevent any attempts at scams or fraud of newly eligible DACA recipients, given reports of unauthorized plan switching, as well as scammers targeting DACA recipients, both online and through other methods," according to the letter. "Content should include options for enrollment, the Special Enrollment Period, and the fact that individuals earning below the poverty line but ineligible for Medicaid because of their immigration status may still enroll in subsidized marketplace plans."
Representatives also want federal agencies to minimize any barriers to DACA recipients attaining coverage, citing the difficulty in getting healthcare.org off the ground when it was first launched in 2013. Immigrants, they said, continue to face challenges in verifying their identity or status.
"HHS should allocate adequate time to test all technical updates to its eligibility system, work with the Department of Homeland Security to proactively address any potential verification errors, and provide technical assistance to state-based exchanges," lawmakers wrote.
THE LARGER TREND
In 2012, President Obama and then Vice President Biden announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to allow young people to live and work in the United States.
Legal challenges from GOP-led states have blocked the administration's attempts to provide Dreamers a pathway to citizenship. The DACA program was ruled unlawful in 2021.
In May HHS and CMS finalized the DACA rule, with the goal of ensuring they'll no longer be excluded from eligibility to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan through the ACA's Health Insurance Marketplace, or for coverage through a Basic Health Program.
CMS estimates this rule could lead to 100,000 previously uninsured DACA recipients enrolling in health coverage through Marketplaces or a BHP.
Those without health insurance are less likely to receive preventive or routine health screenings and may delay necessary medical care, incurring high costs and debts when they do seek care, according to CMS.
DACA recipients are currently three times more likely to be uninsured than the general U.S. population, the agency said. DACA recipients who qualify to enroll in a marketplace plan may also qualify for advance payments of the premium tax credit (APTC) and cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) to reduce the cost of their marketplace coverage, depending on their income.
Jeff Lagasse is editor of Healthcare Finance News.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare Finance News is a HIMSS Media publication.
