What does the Affordable Care Act mean for refugees resettled in the U.S.?  

Refugees, as lawfully present immigrants, are eligible for the same protections and benefits under the Affordable Care Act as U.S. citizens.  Refugees have equal access to state health exchanges and expansions in Medicaid.  In terms of new protections, starting in 2014, all individuals ─ including refugees ─ cannot be charged higher premiums or denied access to coverage based on a pre-existing condition. In addition, the ACA includes increased coverage for preventive health care services. This is particularly important for refugees in resettlement who are accessing coverage for the first time in the U.S. and may have health conditions that have gone untreated.

The Affordable Care Act presents many questions and the potential for misinformation. These challenges are compounded for someone learning a new language and orienting to a new place. As health care providers and advocates, sharing information on new protections is critical to ensuring that refugees access these new benefits available to all Americans. Read more about the Affordable Care Act and resettled refugees on the RHTAC website. 

Upcoming Webinars

Refugee Health Screening Guidelines and Models

October 26, 2011

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET

HIV and Refugees: Clinical and Primary Care

November 30, 2011

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET 

RHTAC is a project of the Refugee and Immigrant Health Program, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the Center for Refugee Trauma and Resilience at Children's Hospital Boston, the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, Sauti Yetu Center for African Women, the Cultural Orientation Resource Center at Center for Applied Linguistics, and John Snow Research and Training Institute, Inc.  RHTAC is funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. Grant #90RB0042.  

For more information, please contact 617 983 6589 or write charlot.lucien@state.ma.us