OmniSalud Health Insurance for Undocumented Coloradans Reaches 11,000 Enrollments in Just 2 Days

Undocumented people and migrants who arrive in Colorado often arrive with little or nothing. A health care program for undocumented immigrants and DACA recipients seeks to provide affordable health insurance.

The Colorado Consumer Health Initiative and the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition are pleased to learn that the OmniSalud program, which allows low-income undocumented Coloradans and DACA recipients to enroll in affordable health insurance plans with financial aid, reached 11,000 registrations just 2 days after the start. open registration.

This rapid enrollment level reaches the enrollment cap for a Colorado Option plan with “SilverEnhanced Savings,” financial assistance that was first made available last year. Many can still enroll through OmniSalud, but without financial assistance that has been exhausted, making coverage inaccessible for thousands.

Enrollment in the OmniSalud program exceeded expectations last year, reaching the financial aid enrollment cap in just over a month, health officials say, but hitting the cap in two days demonstrates just how much it There is a need to increase funding so that the program is able to provide affordable coverage to more undocumented people.

“This program was able to open 10,000 slots last year, 11,000 slots this year and that’s because of the federal grant that we receive, but we need that grant to increase, and it will over time,” Lane-Arellano said.

At the Ardas Family Medicine office in Aurora, Dr. PJ Parmar treats refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants.

“We serve low-income people, and most of them qualify for Medicaid unless they are undocumented,” Parmar said.

According to Parmar, at least 5 to 10 percent of his patients are undocumented and receive free treatment at his office, but there is usually a fee.

“If they can’t get health care like this and they need health care, they go to the emergency room. As we know, there is a mandate to take care of them and them care costs our taxpayers a hundred times more than if they came to the emergency room.” Parmar said.

Before 2023, health insurance options for undocumented and DACA Coloradans were limited. Although programs like OmniSalud are now helping to meet this need.

According to the American Immigration Council, there are nearly 200,000 undocumented immigrants in Colorado. Serving 11,000 of these people is only a small fraction of the population.

Raquel Lane-Arellano of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition says it’s a victory for both the state and those in need.

“Undocumented Coloradans can only receive emergency care at this time, but allowing people to receive preventative care means they are less likely to fall into crippling debt and those savings are passed on to the state and the federal government,” Lane-Arellano said.

Through OmniSalud’s Silver Enhanced Savings programs, undocumented immigrants can obtain this financial assistance, making coverage affordable. Yet those who support the program are calling for more investment.

“This raises the question of whether or not our state should invest more, but the fact that these funds are filling up so quickly means thousands of families would benefit if the state invested more in this program,” Lane-Arellano said . .

To be eligible for the program, applicants must prove residency in Colorado.

Undocumented individuals wishing to enroll in health insurance plans can purchase full-price Colorado Option plans through OmniSalud.

Generally, people with TPS can enroll through the regular Connect for Health Colorado Marketplace and access financial assistance for coverage.

Open enrollment ends January 15, 2024 for plans beginning February 1. For those who cannot afford the full-cost Colorado Option plans, they may still be eligible for emergency Medicaid in the event of life- or limb-threatening health events or access discounted in-hospital care , which is available to those with incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level, regardless of their insurance or documentation status.