WASHINGTON — A number of Democratic lawmakers worried about the outcome of the 2024 election urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday to take steps to ensure that recipients of the Deferred Action for Deportation program for young immigrants can actually access health insurance under the Affordable Care Act when they become eligible this year.
The Biden administration released the final rule in May, set to take effect Nov. 1, which will allow DACA recipients “to apply for insurance through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces, where they may be eligible for financial assistance to help them purchase quality health insurance.”
But to ensure DACA recipients can take full advantage of the expansion as quickly as possible, the Department of Health and Human Services must dedicate resources to outreach, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas and 86 other Democrats said in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and provided first to The States Newsroom.
While applauding the recently finalized rule, the lawmakers noted that “for this expansion to be successful, HHS must ensure that all newly eligible individuals receive adequate information and support during the enrollment process.”
The letter was signed by 73 House members and 15 senators from across the U.S. The letter was dated Monday, and the lawmakers agreed to the final language and sent it to the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday.
DACA recipients can start receiving health insurance benefits in December if they enroll by November 15, so lawmakers want to ensure recipients “can navigate the enrollment process smoothly and take full advantage of their new access to health care.”
Lawmakers pressed Becerra on the practical implementation of this imminent accessibility, including how the department plans to minimize registration barriers for groups that have historically faced difficulties in verifying their identities.
They also asked the Secretary to respond to what steps the Department will take to ensure beneficiaries are aware of the special enrollment period, what resources it will allocate for media outreach, how it will ensure that the Department shares information with this group, and how it will help prevent scams and fraudulent activities targeting beneficiaries throughout the enrollment period.
HHS did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
DACA’s future remains unclear
The letter comes as the future of DACA remains unclear.
Former President Donald J. Trump, who was formally nominated Monday as the 2024 Republican presidential candidate, tried to eliminate the program during the first year of his term.
DACA recipients are awaiting a court case to determine the program’s legality after President Trump sought to end it.
DACA is a program created in 2012 during the Obama administration to protect children who entered the country illegally from deportation, and the Biden administration said a final rule released in May would provide relief to more than 100,000 uninsured young people.
Representatives for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign did not respond to requests for comment on DACA on Tuesday.
