Expanded Health Insurance Access Praised by ‘Dreamer’ under Biden’s Rule
TL/DR –
Around one-third of immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the U.S. are uninsured, as per the Department of Health and Human Services. DACA recipient Andrea Rathbone Ramos shared her past experience of being uninsured, which led to untreated health problems, but now has insurance through school and work thanks to DACA. The Biden administration has introduced a new rule that will allow DACA recipients, also known as Dreamers, to be eligible for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimating that 100,000 previously uninsured DACA recipients would enroll.
Over a Third of DACA Immigrants Lack Health Insurance
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over one-third of immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are uninsured. Andrea Rathbone Ramos, a DACA recipient and UTSA graduate, shared her personal experience of letting a broken bone remain untreated due to lack of health insurance.
Health Insurance Struggles of DACA Recipients
Ramos stated that she had to make a difficult choice between paying for healthcare and celebrating Christmas with her family. Thanks to being a DACA recipient, she now has insurance through her school and work, but the future of the DACA program remains uncertain.
New Rule for DACA Recipients
While DACA recipients, known as Dreamers, wait anxiously for the fate of their program, there’s a silver lining. The Biden administration announced a new rule to make Dreamers eligible for coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services anticipate that this rule will aid 100,000 uninsured DACA recipients.
Welcoming the New Rule
Ramos expressed her relief and excitement about the availability of ACA for DACA recipients. She explained that Dreamers have been contributing to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security through their paychecks without having access to these services. However, this new rule allows them to access the benefits they’ve paid for, and gain more freedom. It enables Dreamers to make career changes, become stay-at-home parents, or continue education without worrying about healthcare needs.
Opposition to the New Rule
But not everyone agrees with the new rule. Trump’s campaign spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, voiced criticism over the decision to allow DACA participants to access healthcare marketplaces, stating that the focus should be on expanding opportunities for American citizens. This rule is set to be enacted in November, as confirmed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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