United States | REMINDER: Healthcare coverage enrollment open for certain DACA recipients

The special enrollment period for eligible Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to apply for healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace is currently open through Jan. 15, 2025.

Key Points:

• Enrollment began Nov. 1, several months after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a rule change expanding healthcare access for DACA recipients.
• Uninsured DACA recipients who file a federal tax return can enroll in health insurance plans at healthcare.gov or their state’s insurance marketplace.
• The final rule does not allow DACA recipients to obtain full Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage.
• The enrollment period ends Jan. 15, 2025.

Additional Information: Approximately 100,000 uninsured DACA recipients who were previously excluded from eligibility are expected to enroll through the ACA Marketplace or a Basic Health Program. Although the final rule was legally challenged after the HHS announcement in Kansas v. United States of America, eligible DACA recipients can still apply for coverage while a decision is pending.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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