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Health insurance now available for undocumented people

REGISTRATION FOR HEALTH PLANS BEGINS NOVEMBER 1ST

Antonio Martínez/ El Comercio de Colorado

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November 1st marks the enrollment date for health insurance coverage for 2023. This date has double importance due to the fact that it’s the start dart date for a new health insurance program that will help undocumented Coloradans obtain health insurance. The program will also cover DACA recipients.

The hope is that in the first year this program can enroll 10,000 Coloradans who don’t have legal documents. However, this number only represents a small portion of the undocumented population of Colorado. Regardless, the expectation is that in the future the number of registrations for the program will amplify and grow.

This program is the direct result of the proposed bill called “Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise” approved by the Colorado Legislative Assembly in 2021. This law takes into account a fund for subsidies that will allow undocumented people to obtain medical insurance at a more economic price for them.

The data

In Colorado, a large portion of the Hispanic population is not protected under medical insurance. Estimates are that 30 percent of Hispanic adults in Colorado don’t have health insurance. This number contrasts with the 12 percent state average of white adults that aren’t insured.

Hispanics are the ethnic group with the lowest percent of insurance coverage in Colorado.

On top of that, the percent of Hispanic minors without health insurance coverage went from 3 percent in 2015 to 8 percent in 2021. Considering these numbers, it is important programs are implemented so that more people of any economic level can be protected under health insurance.

For citizens and residents

Although the new program will help a lot of undocumented people, it is also available for citizens, residents– both temporary and permanent. The problem of not having health insurance is not only a result of not having documents. Although a lot of Latinos in Colorado are citizens, they face other challenges to obtaining insurance.

On one hand, many Hispanics with legal residence consider it very onerous to pay for health insurance. While, on the other hand, many find language as being an obstacle to understanding the benefits and process of being insured. It is our understanding that these two factors have been considered as the new registration season commences.