The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a statement
clarifying that Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program
(CHIP) benefits will not be offered to individuals participating in the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process. DACA provided
temporary relief from removal by providing deferred action on a
case-by-case basis for certain individuals not lawfully residing in the
U.S. who are under the age of 31 and meet certain guidelines.
According to HHS, the Children’s Health Insurance Program
Reauthorization Act of 2009 gives states the choice to provide Medicaid
and CHIPS services to children and pregnant women who are lawfully
residing in the United States or are otherwise eligible for the two
programs. Since the reasons for the adoption of the DACA process does
not specifically relate to eligibility in the two health programs, HHS
has determined that these benefits should not be extended to individuals
partaking in the DACA process.
