Nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the US don’t have access to affordable health care under The Affordable Care Act. Under the federal law, undocumented immigrants are excluded from getting federal subsidies to buy health insurance, and they cannot shop for coverage in the health insurance marketplace.
More than half of all undocumented immigrants don’t have health insurance, and only a few have insurance through employer-sponsored programs. The Urban Institute estimates that 25 percent of people who will remain without health insurance once the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented will be undocumented immigrants, making up the nation’s second-largest population of uninsured.
Though undocumented immigrants are barred from being eligible for federally funded health coverage, they are eligible for some services. For instance, they are eligible for emergency care under Medicaid if they meet requirements, like having a low income.
There are also some states considering whether to extend health care benefits to undocumented immigrants. This could be done as long as benefits are covered with funds from the state, not the federal government. A state lawmaker in California is already planning to introduce legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants to have access to health insurance through the state’s version of the Affordable Care Act.
In the meantime, undocumented immigrants are turning to community health clinics and nonprofit organizations to get the medical care they need.
To read more, click here.
The OMS, Ltd. is a nationally recognized team of physicians and medical specialists who work closely with other occupational health and safety professionals. To find out more click here or call us at (800) 359-1979.