Wednesday, August 29, 2012
by Sara Hansard
Bloomberg BNA

The Department of Health and Human Services made it clear Aug. 28 that young illegal aliens who were granted amnesty in June by President Obama will not be able to take advantage of the temporary high-risk pool program created by the health care reform law.

HHS issued an amendment to a 2010 interim final rule (IFR) implementing the $5 billion Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan program established by the Affordable Care Act. Under Obama's amnesty plan, undocumented immigrants under the age of 31 can apply for the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

"Because the reasons that DHS offered for adopting the DACA process do not pertain to eligibility for Medicaid or [the Children's Health Insurance Program], HHS has determined that these benefits should not be extended as a result of DHS deferred action under DACA," HHS said in the amended IFR, to be published in the Federal Register Aug. 30. Comments are due 60 days after publication.

People who have been uninsured for at least six months due to pre-existing medical conditions can buy insurance under the PCIP program at the prevailing market price for healthy people. About 78,000 people were enrolled for PCIP coverage as of June 30, according to HHS figures. DACA is expected to attract 1.7 million people.

One Old Vet

HHS Moves to Bar Illegal Aliens Granted Amnesty From High-Risk Pools | Bloomberg BNA