Undocumented workers left out of the Affordable Care Act

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Podcasts Take Two

Apr 5, 2013

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Undocumented workers left out of the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act will provide insurance to millions of low-income people who currently don't have it. But undocumented workers - even those on the path to citizenship - won't be guaranteed any federal health benefits, which critics worry could create a sub-class of uninsured.

Obamacare supporters, (L-R) Kailash Sundaran of Cupertino, California, Devyn Greenberg of New York City, and Devontae Freeland of Metuchen, New Jersey celebrate as they respond to the Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Health Act June 28, 2012 in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court has upheld the whole healthcare law of the Obama Administration.

The Affordable Care Act will provide insurance to millions of low-income people who currently don't have it. But undocumented workers - even those on the path to citizenship - won't be guaranteed any federal health benefits, which critics worry could create a sub-class of uninsured.

About 48 million Americans lack medical insurance. That's poised to change next year when Medicaid is expanded and federal tax credits for insurance become available under the Affordable Care Act. But there's a huge group left out: the 11 million immigrants in the country illegally are currently barred from both programs.

From the Fronteras Desk in Phoenix, Jude Joffe-Block digs into what we can expect when Obamacare and immigration reform collide.