Executive order recipients expected to get Obamacare

LOS ANGELES – It’s been a month since the announcement that some 4 million undocumented immigrants may get relief through President Barack Obama’s executive order.

With work permits and legalized stays on the horizon experts and advocates are now looking at how to care for these immigrants after they come out of the shadows.

California laws had prevented immigrants living in the country illegally from access to government fined health care. But under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or DACA, beneficiaries have been able to access services from state funded MediCal. The same is expected from the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability program or DAPA.

“Through DACA and the health care access that is available for DACA recipients, I’m kind of excited that I’d be able to take care of myself again,” DACA recipient Seth Ronquillo said.

“We already know through USCIS that certainly people eligible for relief will be receiving deferred action and that’s certainly a status that’s eligible for California,” Ron Coleman of California Immigrant Policy Center said. “We’ve always covered this population and have continued to do so without changes to existing law.”

Asian Americans Advancing Justice found that many Asian families have availed of Covered California, the state’s version of Obamacar. As the executive orders are enacted, they expect many more to enroll.

Currently Asians make up one fifth of the nearly 2 million enrollees in the Obamacare-created system.

“There will be more people eligible at least for medical,” Asian Americans Advancing Justice’ Doreena Wong said. “Then they will come forward and remember that group in the DAPA, whose parents are undocumented now. But they will at least have legal status and they will be lawfully residents or citizens. So those people those mixed status families will be eligible. So those people will be enrolled either in Covered California or MediCal.”

The work permits under the executive order, are also expected to help the once undocumented workers find better jobs, leading to employment sponsored health care.

California lawmakers are also trying to find a more permanent and concrete solution to health care for undocumented workers, including the Healthcare for All Bill that is making its way through the state legislature.