Biden Announces Plan To Expand Health Care Coverage For DACA Recipients

Oleh Admin 15 Apr, 2023 Posting Komentar

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The Biden administration is proposing legislation that, if changed, would open up Medicaid and Affordable Care Act health insurance exchanges to recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The White House announced Thursday that the Department of Health and Human Services plans to issue a rule expanding the definition of "legal presence" to include DACA recipients, also known as "Dreamers." According to the White House, the administration intends to make policy changes by the end of the month.

DACA protesters march past the Capitol to seek citizenship on November 17, 2022 in Washington, DC.

“Health care should be a right, not a privilege, and my administration has worked hard to expand the health care system. And today, more Americans have health insurance than ever before," President Joe Biden said in a pre-recorded video announcing the decision. "Today's announcement is intended to give DACA recipients the same opportunity."

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Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra welcomed the decision, noting that about a third of current DACA recipients do not have health insurance.

Some beneficiaries had access to insurance through jobs, military service, and programs offered to them by certain states.

MORE: DACA Protection Still Valid, But Appeals Court Seeks Further Review, Says It's Illegal

Supporters say undocumented immigrants and DACA recipients deserve a reward for helping keep the economy afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These were people who provided medical care or other forms of assistance, helped run small businesses and provided people with food. At the same time, many of the same people who were part of our workforce during the pandemic were unable to access many of the assistance programs we were able to access,” said Sergio Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Health Center. Immigration... "It was not only completely unfair and unfair, but also unnecessary. When we have healthier people and people who have access to health care, the whole country moves forward. This ensures that we have healthier communities overall."

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MORE: DACA healthcare workers worried about their plight amid coronavirus pandemic

DACA beneficiary Paloma Bouhid says she lost her health insurance when she was laid off from her job in tourism and hospitality during the pandemic and was "afraid" of contracting COVID. He recently started his own business fixing homes, businesses and other spaces for clients and had to take out private insurance for some of the medical tests he had to undergo.

“It costs so much and takes up such a big part of my finances as a small business owner that I'm always paranoid about getting sick or having an accident. It's just complete paranoia," Buhid said. "It's a huge relief to know that if anything happens I'm covered, I can take care of myself, prioritize my health and know that everything will be okay. GOOD.

Paloma Bouhid says the expansion of healthcare for DACA recipients like her is a "huge relief".

While immigrant rights advocates generally welcomed the president's announcement, some conservatives criticized his plan to expand health care to DACA recipients.

“Rewarding illegal immigration will lead to an increase in illegal immigration. This is an affront to American citizenship," Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote on Twitter.

DACA protesters march past the United States Capitol to demand citizenship on November 17, 2022 in Washington, DC.

About 580,000 people are currently enrolled in the program and about 800,000 young immigrants have benefited from DACA, according to data collected by USCIS. The program was launched by the Obama and Biden administrations in 2012, allowing certain immigrants brought to the country as children to legally work and stay in the country for up to two years, with the option to renew. they fulfill a series of requirements. strict requirements. DACA does not provide a path to citizenship.

Numerous legal issues have threatened the fate of DACA since its inception, and the current lawsuit is pending in Texas District Court. In 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen ruled the program illegal. A federal appeals court later upheld its decision, but allowed current beneficiary protections to remain in place until a lower court reviews the Biden administration's efforts to codify the program under the administrative law. While recipients can still apply to renew their status every two years through DACA, new applicants have been barred for nearly two years.