DACA Health Insurance: Your Options After the 2025 Rule

DACA recipients can no longer buy health insurance through the federal Marketplace. A federal rule that took effect on August 25, 2025 removed DACA recipients from the definition of lawfully present for Marketplace purposes, and HealthCare.gov now states that they are not eligible. The realistic routes to DACA health insurance today are a plan through your job, a plan bought directly from an insurer, a state funded program where you live, a school plan, and community health centers for care at reduced cost.

Key facts at a glance

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finalized its Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule in June 2025. The DACA provision took effect on August 25, 2025.
• DACA recipients cannot enroll in a Marketplace plan in most states, with or without subsidies, and are not eligible for federally funded Medicaid or CHIP.
• KFF counted about 538,000 active DACA recipients as of September 30, 2024, and estimated from 2022 data that 47 percent of people likely eligible for DACA were uninsured.
• As of April 2026, KFF lists seven jurisdictions with state funded coverage for at least some adults regardless of immigration status: California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Washington and Washington, DC. Several have closed or capped enrollment.
• Washington's exchange says DACA recipients can still buy health and dental plans through Washington Healthplanfinder, without federal tax credits.
• Work authorization through DACA means you can enroll in an employer plan on the same terms as any other employee.

Can DACA recipients get Marketplace health insurance in 2026?

Not through HealthCare.gov, and not through most state run exchanges. The background matters because many older articles are now wrong. A 2024 rule opened the Marketplace and its subsidies to DACA recipients from November 1, 2024. The 2025 rule reversed that. CMS estimated that roughly 10,000 DACA recipients would lose Marketplace coverage as a result, and Covered California states that people with DACA have not been eligible to enroll there since August 2025.

The reversal also covers Basic Health Programs. New York's exchange, NY State of Health, ended Essential Plan coverage for DACA recipients on July 1, 2026 and moved those with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level into Medicaid.

One practical point: the rule does not stop an insurer from selling you a policy directly. It only closes the Marketplace door and the federal financial help that comes with it.

Which states still have programs that enroll DACA recipients?

State rules are moving quickly, and several programs that existed in 2024 have since closed to new adults. The summary below reflects official state pages and KFF's review as of mid 2026. Confirm with the program before you rely on it.

• California. Covered California says DACA recipients remain eligible for Medi-Cal if they meet the income and household rules. Medi-Cal paused new full scope enrollment for undocumented adults on January 1, 2026, but provider guidance published in 2026, including AltaMed's, lists DACA recipients among the groups the freeze does not apply to. Apply through your county office and ask how the 2026 and 2027 changes affect you. See our guide to health insurance for new immigrants in California for how Medi-Cal applications work.
• New York. NY State of Health says DACA recipients who meet the other eligibility requirements remain eligible for Medicaid and Child Health Plus.
• Washington. Under a federal waiver that runs through 2028, all residents can buy plans on Washington Healthplanfinder regardless of immigration status. The exchange says DACA recipients with incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level can still qualify for state funded Cascade Care Savings, with funding limited. KFF reports that Apple Health Expansion is closed to new enrollment.
• Oregon. KFF lists Oregon as providing fully state funded coverage for income eligible adults regardless of immigration status.
• Colorado. OmniSalud offers plans with state subsidies through Colorado Connect, but KFF reports the enrollment cap was cut sharply for 2026, so places are scarce.
• Illinois, Minnesota and Washington, DC. KFF reports that Illinois ended its adult program in July 2025, Minnesota ended state coverage for undocumented adults in January 2026, and DC closed its Alliance program to new adults aged 26 and older from October 2025. Ask each program how it classifies DACA, since rules for DACA recipients can differ from rules for undocumented adults.

Children have more options. KFF counts 15 jurisdictions, including DC, that cover income eligible children regardless of immigration status. That matters for younger siblings and for your own children, who may also be US citizens with full eligibility in their own right.

Can DACA recipients get health insurance through an employer or school?

Yes, and for most working DACA recipients this is the strongest option. Employer coverage is not a federal public benefit. If you are eligible under the plan's rules, usually based on hours and a waiting period, you enroll like anyone else, and your employer normally pays part of the premium.

• Losing other coverage opens a window. If your Marketplace or state plan ended, that loss generally triggers a special enrollment right in an employer plan. The window is short, commonly 30 days, so tell human resources at once.
• A spouse or parent's plan. You can be added as a dependent under the plan's own rules. Adult children can usually stay on a parent's employer plan until age 26.
• Student health plans. Colleges and universities that sponsor a student health insurance plan generally enroll students based on registration, not immigration status. Check the enrollment and waiver deadlines each term.

Can you buy a plan directly from an insurance company?

Yes. Insurers sell individual plans outside the Marketplace, sometimes called off exchange plans, and the Marketplace eligibility rule does not apply to those sales. They follow the same Affordable Care Act standards as Marketplace plans: they cannot refuse you or charge more for a pre-existing condition, and they cover the essential health benefits.

The drawback is cost. No premium tax credits apply, so you pay the full price. You must also buy during the annual open enrollment period or within a special enrollment period after a qualifying event such as losing other coverage. A licensed agent or broker in your state can show you off exchange options at no charge to you.

Be careful with products that only look similar. Short term plans, fixed indemnity plans and health sharing arrangements are not ACA compliant, can exclude pre-existing conditions and can cap what they pay. Our comparison of short term and travel medical insurance explains the differences.

Is visitor or new immigrant insurance a good fit for DACA recipients?

Usually not, and it is better to say so plainly. The plans Ombrela compares are travel medical plans for visitors to the United States, international students, exchange visitors and recent arrivals who need a short bridge. They are written for people whose home is outside the United States or who arrived very recently. They exclude pre-existing conditions, do not cover routine or preventive care, and carriers generally do not sell them to people who have lived in the United States for years.

If you are a DACA recipient, a compliant plan through work, school, your state or an insurer directly will serve you far better. Where these plans can genuinely help your family is for relatives visiting from abroad. The plan finder shows which plan type fits a visiting parent or a newly arrived relative, and our guide to new immigrant insurance versus ACA plans explains where bridge cover ends and real health insurance begins.

Where can you get care at lower cost without insurance?

Several parts of the health system serve people regardless of coverage.

• Community health centers. Federally funded health centers offer primary care, and often dental and behavioral health care, with fees on a sliding scale based on income. A 2025 federal notice tried to restrict access by immigration status, and a federal court later set that interpretation aside. Litigation can continue, so call your local center and ask about its current policy.
• Emergency care. Federal law requires hospitals with emergency departments to screen and stabilize anyone who arrives, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status. Emergency Medicaid can pay for emergency treatment for people who meet the income rules but not the immigration rules.
• Hospital financial assistance. Nonprofit hospitals must have a written financial assistance policy. Ask for the application before or soon after care, not after the bill goes to collections.
• Free clinics and local programs. Many counties and cities fund their own programs. Your local health department can point you to them.

To gauge what a visit might cost without coverage, try the medical cost estimator.

Download our free DACA Coverage Options Guide below. It sets out the federal rule, the state programs to ask about, employer and school plans, community health centers and the documents to have ready, in the order to check them.

This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules for DACA and for public programs change through regulation and litigation. Check official sources or speak with a qualified navigator or attorney about your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are DACA recipients eligible for Medicaid?

Not for federally funded Medicaid, apart from emergency Medicaid for qualifying emergencies. A state can choose to cover DACA recipients using only its own money, and a few do. New York says DACA recipients who meet the other requirements remain eligible for Medicaid, and Covered California says DACA recipients can qualify for Medi-Cal based on income. Check with your state Medicaid agency for the current rule.

Can DACA recipients still use HealthCare.gov?

No. HealthCare.gov states that DACA recipients are not eligible for Marketplace coverage. The change took effect on August 25, 2025 and applies to enrollment with or without subsidies. Family members who are US citizens or who hold an eligible immigration status can still apply for themselves, and applying for an eligible family member does not require you to be eligible.

Does using health programs affect a DACA renewal?

DACA renewal is decided under its own guidelines, which focus on continuous residence, education or service history, and criminal record. USCIS says it continues to accept and process renewal requests. This article cannot assess individual risk, and immigration policy is changing, so raise any concern about benefits and your case with a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative before you decide.

What should I do if my Marketplace plan was cancelled?

Act within the deadlines. Ask your employer or your spouse's employer about a special enrollment right, which is commonly open for 30 days after you lose coverage. Contact your state Medicaid agency or exchange about state funded programs. Ask a licensed broker about off exchange plans. In the meantime, register with a community health center so you have a place to go for primary care.

Coverage for DACA recipients now depends heavily on where you live and work, so start with your employer and your state, then fill gaps with direct plans and community care. If relatives are visiting you from abroad, you can compare visitor plans for them on Ombrela through the plan finder.