Healthcare advocates urge immigrants to sign up for insurance plans before deadline
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- Advocates urge Valley immigrant families to enroll in Covered California before Jan. 31 .
- Mixed‑status households can secure coverage for eligible members; proof of status require.
- Bilingual certified enrollers provide confidential help online, by phone or paper forms
Fresno health care advocates and Covered California officials are urging immigrant families in the Central Valley who are worried about enrolling in healthcare plans due to federal uncertainties to take action before the Jan. 31 deadline.
“We can’t deny that many of our families, especially our vulnerable families, are under attack, and that creates a lot of fear and uncertainty,” said Sandra Celedon, president and CEO with Fresno Building Healthy Communities.
Celedon said while the current administration’s policies and immigration tactics create fear among immigrant families, many who live in rural areas, “healthcare is a human right, and it’s a right by definition in our state.”
Proof of citizenship or lawful presence is required to enroll in a Covered California health plan, but individuals in mixed status families can apply for health coverage for their eligible child or spouse, even if they are not eligible.
Covered California have bilingual certified enrollment assisters to provide information in different language including Spanish. People can apply online at https://www.coveredca.com/get-started/; with a certified enroller (find an enroller here); by phone at 1-800-1506 or by mail by getting a paper application available in 11 languages at Covered California’s website.
“I would encourage families that are from mixed immigration status to talk to a certified enrollment connector so that they’re able to really understand what opportunities are available to them and make an informed decision,” Celedon said. “
Jeffrey Reynoso, senior advisor, policy strategy and community Engagement with Covered California, said that there is a lot of fear, mistrust and misinformation, in mixed status and immigrant families.
“The message is very clear from Covered California that all the information that families share with us is confidential,” Reynoso said.
In California, most people are required by law to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
“Parents can’t work if they’re sick. Children won’t go to school to fulfill their education if they’re sick either,” said Genoveva Islas, MPH Founder and Executive Director of Cultiva La Salud.
Islas said the current immigration climate in the country is an issue for many families, especially those with mixed status and those living in rural areas that face more challenges to enroll.
Celedon said when immigrant communities in the Valley have access to health insurance, people can access not just preventative care and immunizations for their children but also manage conditions like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, conditions that are “prevalent t in our communities.”
“What better way to respond to all the threats that our community is facing than by keeping our families healthy and protected,” Celedon said.
