Those enrolled in the federal program shielding them from deportation can enroll through Jan. 15, but a lawsuit and Trump’s anti-immigration stance threaten to eliminate eligibility.
Victoria Elizondo, a DACA recipient and chef-owner of Cochinita & Co., outside her Houston restaurant on Nov. 8, 2024. Elizondo, who does not have health insurance, is one of Texas' 90,000 DACA recipients who can now qualify for Affordable Care Act coverage.When Victoria Elizondo first went to see a doctor about her symptoms at Legacy Community Clinic, a low-cost clinic in Houston, she didn’t know what was wrong with her but she knew something wasn’t right.
“More than one-third of DACA recipients currently do not have health insurance, so making them eligible to enroll in coverage will improve their health and wellbeing, and help the overall economy,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in a news release.Elizondo pays about $200 for each endocrinologist visit and $100 every month for blood work. To cure Graves' disease, she would need to undergo a thyroid gland removal surgery which can cost up to $30,000.
Without health insurance, he had to rely on the Harris Health Financial Assistance Program to cover those hospital costs. After losing access to that help, he now needs to find a way to pay for medication, which can cost about $970 without insurance.Espinosa, now a permanent resident who also plans to enroll in federal marketplace insurance, hopes others take advantage of the new eligibility, particularly for their mental health needs.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, speaks at the first general session at the Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso on June 7, 2024.“We’re going on a first date with DACA recipients,” said Stacey Thompson, a program director at Civic Heart Community Services, another health navigator organization. “We’re nervous but we’re also excited to serve them.”, 43% of DACA-eligible individuals have incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level compared with 26% of U.S.
DACA advocates say that health insurance coverage helps lower costs because people do not have to wait until their health problems become more serious and more expensive, possibly putting more financial burden on health systems.
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