High Uninsured Rate Persists Within Underserved Groups Due to Immigration-Related Barriers

People who are immigrants face a variety of systemic barriers to obtaining health coverage. Many have jobs that don’t offer employer-sponsored health coverage or face barriers in obtaining those benefits. Approximately 9.5 million adult immigrants meet income requirements to enroll in Medicaid, but 45% (4.3 million) of them are barred from enrolling due to immigration-related eligibility requirements. While Affordable Care Act marketplaces, like Pennie, have less restrictive immigration-related eligibility requirements than Medicaid, it still blocks those who have an undocumented immigration status from enrolling in coverage. Approximately half of people without a documented status are uninsured. Comprehensive immigration reforms are the pathway to citizenship and could dramatically increase ability to sign up for coverage through employers or through public coverage.

The post High Uninsured Rate Persists Within Underserved Groups Due to Immigration-Related Barriers appeared first on Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health.