SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Due to recent rule changes made by the federal government, Covered California enrollees who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will have their Affordable Care Act health insurance terminated on Aug. 31, 2025. The federal rule will affect more than 2,300 DACA recipients in California.
The decision comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees Affordable Care Act marketplaces. In its updated Marketplace Integrity Rule published in June, CMS changed the definition of “lawfully present” to exclude DACA recipients. Covered California is required to comply with this new rule.
“Covered California is deeply disheartened by the updated rule issued by this federal administration, which targets DACA recipients who are working to provide for their families and secure access to essential health insurance,” said Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman. “The decision is deeply unfair to hard-working, tax-paying individuals in California who trusted that they would have health insurance for 2025, only to have it stripped away eight months later. While we had hoped for a different outcome for DACA recipients, we must comply with federal law. In anticipation of this rule change going into effect, Covered California is doing everything we can to support DACA recipients with information and resources to understand what is happening and find other health insurance options.”
Covered California is working to contact every individual affected by this federal decision through letters, emails and calls and will continue to be a resource for people to find health insurance outside the marketplace. Covered California encourages all DACA recipients to explore health insurance options and stay covered to protect against financial hardship in the event of an emergency.
Options for coverage may include:
- See if you qualify for Medi-Cal by visiting CoveredCA.com or contacting your local county social services office or county Medi-Cal office.
- Purchase a plan directly through a health insurance company.
- Contact your employer to see if there is an employer-based insurance option available.
Enrollees with questions or concerns about their enrollment status should contact Covered California for help. They can also contact legal aid or consumer assistance programs if they need help understanding their rights or addressing coverage concerns.
Additionally, the California Department of Social Services’ Immigration Services Bureau keeps a list of qualified nonprofit organizations to provide services to immigrants who reside in California. For more resources and information, please visit the Immigration and California families webpage.
Covered California contact information:
- Call Center (Cantonese): (800) 339-8938
- Call Center (Mandarin): (800) 300-1533
- Call Center (Korean): (800) 738-9116
- Call Center (Vietnamese): (800) 652-9528
- Call Center (English): (800) 300-1506
As an organization, Covered California will continue to support policies that help everyone access the health care they need and will provide additional information as it becomes available. We have also developed information in English to help people navigate the ongoing changes.
English resources:
About Covered California
Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies. Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program.Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the health insurance marketplace work for California’s consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor and the Legislature. For more information about Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com.
