Title: How Do Immigrants Obtain Health Insurance Under the ACA?
Headings: How Do Immigrants Obtain Health Insurance Under the ACA?
How Do Immigrants Obtain Health Insurance Under the ACA?
Some Different Rules Apply for Medicaid and for Premium Subsidies
Are ACA Premium Subsidies Limited to U.S. Citizens?
How Does the Exchange Know That Applicants Are Lawfully Present?
What Coverage Is Available for Immigrants Who Are 65 or Older?
Can an Immigrant Enroll in Coverage Outside of Open Enrollment?
Can Undocumented Immigrants Obtain Coverage?

Content: So although open enrollment —for both individual and employer-sponsored plans—only comes around once per year, new immigrants have an opportunity to enroll in coverage regardless of when they immigrate. Can Undocumented Immigrants Obtain Coverage? Under ACA rules, legally present immigrants can enroll in plans offered through the exchange and can receive premium subsidies if their income makes them eligible. But the ACA does not have any provisions that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain coverage. The law explicitly prevents undocumented immigrants from purchasing coverage in the exchange—even if they pay full price; see section 1312 (f) (3) of the ACA. Undocumented immigrants are also ineligible for Medicaid. California began using state funding to make Medicaid (Medi-Cal) available for undocumented immigrant children as of 2016, and 170,000 children gained coverage as a result (as of 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed expanding this to cover young adults up to age 26 ). California officials wanted to take this a step further and