Health Insurance Market Place
The Health Insurance Marketplace helps uninsured individuals find health coverage. 10 things immigrant families need to know about the marketplace:
- Affordable coverage options for immigrant families are available in the Health Insurance Marketplace. If you have recently moved to the United States and had a change in your immigration status, here are some things you should know:
- In order to buy private health insurance through the marketplace, you must have a status from the List of immigration statuses that qualify for marketplace coverage.
- If you recently gained U.S. citizenship or had a change in your immigration status, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Find out if you can enroll in a marketplace health plan outside open enrollment.
- If you are a lawfully present immigrant, you can buy private health insurance in the marketplace. You may be eligible for lower costs on monthly premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs based on your income. If you make less than $11,490 ($23,550 for a family of four) and you are not eligible for Medicaid, you may still qualify for lower costs on coverage.
- If you are a “qualified non-citizen” and meet your state’s income eligibility rules, you are generally eligible for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage. View a list of “qualified non-citizen” statuses.
- In order to get Medicaid and CHIP coverage, you may have a five-year waiting period. This means you must wait five years after receiving “qualified” immigration status before being eligible for Medicaid and CHIP. View a list of exceptions to the five-year waiting period and other important details.
- Many immigrant families are of “mixed status,” with members having different immigration and citizenship statuses. Mixed status families can apply for a tax credit or lower out-of-pocket costs for private insurance for their dependent family members who are eligible for coverage in the marketplace or for Medicaid and CHIP coverage. Family members who are not applying for health coverage for themselves will not be asked if they have eligible immigration status.
- Federal and state marketplaces, and state Medicaid and CHIP agencies can’t require you to provide information about the citizenship or immigration status of any family or household members who aren’t applying for coverage.
- States cannot deny you benefits because a family or household member who is not applying has not provided his or her citizenship or immigration status.
- Information that you provide to the marketplace will not be used for immigration enforcement purposes.
- If you are not eligible for marketplace coverage or you cannot afford a health plan, you can get low-cost health care at a nearby community health center. Community health centers provide primary health care services to all residents, including immigrant families, in the health center’s service area.
Medi-Cal
It is highly recommended that undocumented students apply for Medi-Cal before attending UC Merced in the Fall. Students already affiliated with Medi-Cal must contact their case manager to request address change to Merced County. For more information on how to apply to Medi-cal you can go to Medi-cal website.
Mental Health Connector
The Mental Health Connector is provided by Immigrants Rising. It provides undocumented students in California with psychological support, allowing them to access their strengths and resiliency to focus on their personal goals and healing journey. Their experienced and culturally responsive therapists volunteer to provide free and completely confidential services, tailored to meet the needs of each individual.
Persons Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOL)
PRUCOL is a public benefits eligibility category that refers to individuals who are in the U.S. with the knowledge of immigration services and are not likely to be deported. Before the adoption of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, people with PRUCOL status were eligible for Medicaid, but PRWORA eliminated their eligibility with the exception of emergency services.
Consideration for Deferred Action and Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and PRUCOL:
A student, who has received DACA status, is PRUCOL eligible. If they are eligible for DACA but have not applied, they are considered ineligible for PRUCOL unless they qualify as PRUCOL in some other way.
Students who are eligible but have not applied for DACA are not eligible for Medi-Cal. In general, they must have received DACA status to be eligible for full scope Medi-Cal.
AB 540 students are considered undocumented. The majority, but not all, may be eligible for DACA status which falls under PRUCOL. Other AB 540 students may have another type of immigration status that could be considered "lawfully present" under the federal rules or PRUCOL under Medi-Cal rules. For more information about PRUCOL, refer to the Department of Health Care Services.
Because there is a fine for those that do not enroll in health insurance (CA residents), DACA individuals are exempt from the health coverage mandate. Therefore, they will not be fined if they fail to enroll in health insurance.
Resources
- Addiction Treatment Support
- Alcohol Addiction Group
- BAC and Alcohol Education
- Binge Drinking Resources
- HazingPrevention.org
- Substance Abuse & Greek Life Guide