Reshaping The Narrative On Public Charge To Reach Immigrant Populations

Additional author: Julian Teixeira, GMMB

Over the past year, the Biden administration has made improving access to coverage and care a core policy priority across Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare and the Marketplace, with a particular focus on low-income populations.

Despite the administration's proactive steps to fund outreach, promote affordable health coverage and simplify enrollment processes for federally funded health coverage, a key barrier remains: Many immigrants and their families are concerned that enrolling in Medicaid/CHIP, the Marketplace and other public health insurance programs will run afoul of public charge rules and jeopardize their immigration status.