CHA STATEMENT ON EXPANDING HEALTH COVERAGE ELIGIBILITY FOR DACA RECIPIENTS

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Catholic Health Association of the United States issued the following statement on May 8, 2024:

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The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) welcomes the final rule recently released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which expands eligibility for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to enroll in qualified health plans through the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace and qualify for subsidies and cost-sharing reductions based on income.

An estimated one-third of the nation's DACA recipients are currently uninsured, and this expanded eligibility represents one further step toward the goal of Catholic health care to ensure accessible and affordable health coverage for all.

CHA has been a longtime advocate of the DACA program based on our Catholic faith and our strong support for the immigrant community. We recognize the vital contributions DACA recipients make to our nation's health care workforce and believe that ensuring they have affordable health care coverage is essential to not only their health and well-being but also to the health and well-being of the patients and communities we serve.

CHA will continue our efforts to advocate for access to quality and affordable care for everyone, regardless of immigration status.

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The Catholic Health Association of the United States is the national leadership organization of the Catholic health ministry, representing the largest nonprofit provider of health care services in the nation.

* 1 in 7 patients in the U.S. is cared for in a Catholic hospital each day.

* Catholic health care, which includes more than 2,200 hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, systems, sponsors, and related organizations, serves the full continuum of health care across our nation.

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Original text here: https://www.chausa.org/newsroom/news-releases/2024/05/08/cha-statement-on-expanding-health-coverage-eligibility-for-daca-recipients