If President Biden’s rule is finalized, this will make DACA recipients eligible for these programs for the first time.
Today, President Biden announced a plan to expand health coverage for The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will propose a rule amending the definition of “lawful presence,” for purposes of Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage, to include DACA recipients.
Under the proposed rule, DACA recipients will be able to apply for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, where they may qualify for financial assistance based on income, and through their state Medicaid agency.
According to the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC), during any given year there are roughly 100,000 DACA recipients in Texas. “We applaud President Biden for leading on this historic plan to expand healthcare coverage to the 106,090 Texans with DACA.” Said MALC chairwoman Representative Victoria Neave Criado.
She added “In Texas, DACA recipients and their households pay $705.2 million in federal taxes, and $409.9 million in state and local taxes each year. They own 10,500 homes, making an annual $80.1 million in mortgage payments while other DACA recipients pay $278.6 million in rental payments each year.”
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program began in 2012 under President Obama and then Vice President Biden. The program allows young people to live and work in the only country they know as home. Since its start, DACA has brought stability, possibility, and progress to more than 800,000 Dreamers.
