Everyone, regardless of immigration status or income, deserves health care. But, too many of our family members, friends, and neighbors do not have access to the basic health care that they need. As of November 1, 2024, DACA recipients became eligible for health insurance coverage on healthcare.gov.
Sign up by December 15 for coverage to start January 1. January 15 is the last day to enroll in or change Marketplace health plans for the year.
What is DACA?
As immigration evolves in the 21st century, decisionmakers have introduced new policies that provide a more equitable environment for immigrant children and families. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is one of those policies. It provides temporary protection for immigrant children who arrived before the age of 16, and to date has granted temporary protection to nearly 6,000 immigrant children and adults in Wisconsin. Learn more about DACA in Wisconsin here.
Admittedly, this is happening at an uncertain time, between the election and an ongoing lawsuit that contests this new rule. However, in Wisconsin coverage is here and available now. If you need to go to the doctor or if you’ve been putting off care that you need, you can sign up and get coverage. Let’s not let fears about the future stop people from getting the care they’re eligible for today. For more information, read this resource from the National Immigration Law Center.
Now Eligible for Health Insurance
This year, the Biden administration issued a rule for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which extends health insurance coverage for DACA recipients and some other immigrants through healthcare.gov.
On November 1, 2024, DACA recipients became eligible for health insurance coverage on healthcare.gov.
Passed more than a decade ago, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) made health insurance more accessible to tens of millions of people across the country. However, the ACA excluded many immigrants—including DACA recipients—from accessing coverage through its health insurance marketplace, healthcare.gov.
These exclusionary policies led to unmet health needs and made it much harder for DACA recipients to access health care. This new rule is an important step forward. The Biden administration’s rule corrects the decision made more than a decade ago to exclude DACA recipients from coverage through the Affordable Care Act. While we celebrate the expansion to include DACA recipients, we will continue to urge policy makers to expand health coverage for all regardless of income or immigration status.
Read our fact sheet, written in collaboration with Covering Wisconsin, to learn more about this important new rule here and how to get covered.
Background & Resources
For centuries, Wisconsin has been shaped by successive waves of newcomers seeking refuge, opportunity, and a place to call home. For more on how newcomers are critical to Wisconsin’s future:
- Immigrants are a Vital Part of Wisconsin’s Future: Nearly 300,000 immigrants reside in Wisconsin, and they are absolutely vital to the health of our economy, with immigrant workers and business owners proven to grow local economies across our state.
- Immigrant Taxpayers Deserve Dignity and Justice: Undocumented immigrants in our state contributed nearly $200 million in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022. Despite paying federal, state, and local taxes, most undocumented immigrants do not qualify for many benefits such as health care and food assistance.
- Restoring Driver Licenses to all Wisconsinites: While DACA recipients qualify for driver licenses in Wisconsin, other immigrant taxpayers who lack documentation cannot legally obtain a driver’s license.
