Starting Monday, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, more commonly known as Dreamers, can no longer be insured through Connect for Health Colorado.
The state insurance exchange offers private insurance plans to Coloradans who don’t qualify for Medicaid or have access to employer insurance. The marketplace also provides tax credits intended to make the plans more affordable.
Dreamers on any of the exchange insurance plans will have to cancel the coverage themselves, as a Connect for Health Colorado spokesperson said they are unable to discern Dreamers and enrollees with a different deferred action status.
If the Dreamers do not dis-enroll by Aug. 25, the spokesperson said they “may be” responsible for paying back advance premium tax credits: between $375 and $3,250, depending on whether the plan covers an individual or household.
“It just hurts the community because when insurance companies have more participants, they get more money,” said Hispanic Affairs Project Executive Director Ricardo Perez. “Any action to create disruption is now part of our daily life for the immigrant community.”
Dreamers became eligible to enroll in Connect for Health Colorado in January of this year, after a regulatory update under the Biden administration that included Dreamers in the “lawfully present” criteria for enrollment.
The policy change, mandated by the U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), is part of a broader federal effort to reduce health insurance coverage for immigrant and migrant communities.
According to a CMS spokesperson, the department’s focus remains on “strengthening affordability and access for the millions of Americans who are eligible under the law.”
They added that the regulatory change won’t impact premiums.
“The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and related regulations establish eligibility standards … including the requirement that Exchange enrollees must be ‘lawfully present’ in the United States,” the representative said.
“To align with the statute, the 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability final rule provision removes DACA recipients from the definition of ‘lawfully present,’ returning to the original interpretation adopted in 2012,” they added.
The Connect for Health Colorado spokesperson added that about 100 or fewer current customers will be impacted under the new rule. They said impacted enrollees have been, or will be, notified by the state program.
An informational packet sent by the state marketplace stated that Dreamers remain eligible for Colorado Connect, a “separate, secure” platform that operates in partnership with Connect for Health Colorado. Depending on income, they might also be eligible for emergency Medicaid.
That program remains open to DACA recipients, and any resident, “regardless of immigration status.” A Special Enrollment Period will enable Dreamers to enroll in Colorado Connect within 60 days of their current coverage ending.
Hilltop Community Programs Vice President Hollie VanRoosendaal said impacted locals can visit Hilltop’s Health Access service, 1129 Colorado Ave., for one-on-one assistance with cancelling their coverage and enrolling in an alternative.
“Hilltop’s mission statement is ‘Finding a way to create connection, have community and build belonging,’” VanRoosendaal said.
“We know that individuals who are unable to access health care tend to also have significant issues with their housing, food insecurity and it makes them more susceptible to violent situations,” she added. “(Healthcare) is a foundational piece of human existence.”
Walk-ins are accepted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Wednesday. Appointments can be scheduled online by visiting www.htop.org/health-access.
Dreamers who are unable to visit in person or live outside the region can receive the same services through Connect for Health Colorado’s free network of certified brokers or assisters.
Those in need of assistance can visit connectforhealthco.com/we-can-help/.
“Throughout this process, we remain committed to protecting customer privacy and safety, and providing information about alternative resources for individuals with DACA status to access continued healthcare coverage,” a Connect for Health Colorado spokesperson said.
