DACA Healthcare Options During COVID-19

The current outbreak of COVID-19 has affected U.S. citizens, non-citizens, immigrants, and visa holders alike. The potential health threat of the virus is enormous and, for the time being, it doesn’t seem to be going away. 

Noncitizens and visa holders are struggling with the negative effects of the virus. From travel bans, to layoffs, to financial struggles — the effects on the immigrant population in the U.S. are sweeping.

One of the most vulnerable groups during the outbreaks is DACA recipients. Even before the outbreak, DACA holders had limited access to healthcare and health insurance. In the current landscape, that access is even more limited.  

But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t options available. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best health insurance options available to DACA recipients during the COVID-19 outbreak. 

COVID-19 Health Insurance Options for DACA Recipients

If you’re a DACA recipient and you are uninsured or find yourself without work doing the COVID-10 outbreak, it’s imperative that you understand your health insurance options. If you were to contract the virus, treatment would be significantly more expensive than if you were insured. It would also help ensure that you recover faster, meaning you can return to work quicker. 

Below, we’ve listed some of the best health insurance options for DACA recipients during the current pandemic. 

Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance

The best option for any DACA recipient during the COVID-19 outbreak is their employer-sponsored coverage. If you are employed or still employed during this time, you should review your current healthcare plan and understand the coverages it provides. This is by far the best option for any DACA recipient, and if you have access to an employer-sponsored plan, be sure to understand and use it.

Medicaid 

If you are a DACA recipient, you may be eligible for Medicaid benefits, depending on where you live. Presently, several states offer Medicaid coverage for DACA holders, including:

• New York
• California
• Massachusetts
• Washington D.C.

To ensure your continued eligibility for Medicaid, make sure your DACA status is up-to-date and renewed if it needs to be. 

The medicaid.gov site has created a page collecting all of the relevant COVID-19-related information. 

State-Funded Programs

If you are a DACA recipient, but are unemployed and living in a state where you are ineligible to receive Medicaid benefits, you may still be able to acquire health insurance through state-funded programs. You may be qualified for a different, state-funded program available irrespective of immigration status (such as “Medi-Cal” in California). These options will vary from state-to-state.

What DACA Holders Should Do if They Have No Access to Insurance

Even if you don’t have insurance, there are some steps you can take as a DACA recipient to stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Social Distance and Wash Your Hands

These are the two pieces of conventional wisdom that will make the biggest difference in whether you contract the virus or not. Social Distancing is an important measure that will, ultimately, help end the outbreak. So, you should be sure to, as often as is possible, remain in your home and avoid social contact. When you need to leave your home, be sure to limit your social engagements to what is necessary. Additionally, regular washing of your hands will help eliminate any traces of the virus you may have contracted through engagement. 

If you are Ill, Go to Your Doctor, Not the Emergency Room

If you think you may have contracted COVID-19, go to your doctor. The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to seasonal flu and your doctor will be able to tell you the difference. And if your doctor suspects that you have contracted COVID-19, they can give you the approval necessary to get tested by the CDC or by a state lab.

At the end of the day, medical care will have a cost, but you can limit that cost by going to your doctor, rather than to the emergency room. The emergency room will cost considerably more, and if you test negative for COVID-19, it will, essentially, have been avoidable. 

Final Thoughts

The most important thing that anyone in the U.S. — including, and maybe even especially, DACA recipients — can do is try to stay healthy. That’s how the COVID-19 outbreak will end. But with so much confusion about the healthcare options for DACA recipients, it can be difficult to find the right option or an option at all. But armed with the information about, you can make an educated decision about how to handle your DACA health insurance situation for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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