HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Statement on CMS Submission of Proposed Rule that Would Expand Access to Coverage for DACA Recipients

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra released the following statement today after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services submitted a proposed rule that would expand access to coverage for DACA recipients:

“Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) submitted a proposed rule that expands access to health coverage by removing a barrier to health care faced by DACA recipients, known as Dreamers. If finalized, the rule would allow DACA recipients to enroll in Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP), and the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplaces.

Dreamers come from every corner of this planet, but the United States is their home. They are students, teachers, social workers, doctors, nurses, and more importantly, they are Americans. But, of the nearly 580,000 Dreamers who arrived in this country as children and currently have DACA protections, an estimated 34 percent do not have health insurance coverage. Today’s rule would change that.

The path to a prosperous life starts with having access to good health. And the path to a prosperous nation starts by extending access to health care to every American. Today’s announcement of the proposed rule would improve health outcomes for DACA recipients and would in turn improve the economic and productive capacity of America. It would also give these Dreamers and their families the peace of mind that comes with having access to care.

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to urge Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and give them the ultimate peace of mind they need and deserve.”