New Rule Opens the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces to DACA Recipients

By Sabrina Corlette and Julian Polaris*

On May 3, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final regulation that allows people who receive Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to sign up for subsidized Marketplace or Basic Health Program (BHP) coverage. The new policy goes into effect on November 1, 2024 and is expected to enable 100,000 DACA recipients to enroll in health insurance coverage. Notably, HHS did not finalize its proposal to make DACA recipients eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in states that have extended coverage to lawfully residing children and pregnant people, citing concerns about state administrative burdens in light of ongoing unwinding activities. In their latest Expert Perspective for the State Health & Value Strategies program, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette and Manatt Health’s Julian Polaris summarize the provisions of the new regulation and discuss their implications for states.

Read the full article here.

*Julian Polaris is a Partner at Manatt Health.