Right now, many refugees get short-term health insurance called Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA). It is available for up to eight months. Some refugees may be eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) which is available for several years.
Thanks to the health care law, the health insurance landscape for refugees and other Americans is changing for the better in 2014. Many refugees, who could only get eight months of insurance through RMA, will be able to get ongoing health insurance through the Marketplace.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) creates the Marketplace to help people shop for health insurance at lower costs. The Marketplace also helps you find out if you are eligible for programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
No matter where you live, you will only need to fill out a single application on the Marketplace. You can access the Marketplace online at www.healthcare.gov, by phone at 1-800-318-2596, or by sending a paper application in the mail to:
Health Insurance Marketplace
Department of Health and Human Services
465 Industrial Blvd.
London, KY 40750
You can also get help with your application by going to a Navigator. View a list of several Navigators in your area. If you don’t see your State listed, click here more information.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement created a fact sheet to explain immigration statuses that qualify for Marketplace coverage including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Plan.
The agency has also created Refugees and the Affordable Care Act video, available in six languages — Somali, Karen, Nepali, Arabic, Kinyarwanda, and English. The video features refugee speakers and narrators discussing the benefits of the Affordable Care Act. The videos also describe the importance of primary care and health insurance and highlight key health literacy words to help orient refugees to the health care system in the United States.
Population of focus: Refugees
Links to resources:
- Video in English
- Video in Arabic
- Video in Kinyarwanda
- Video in Nepali
- Video in Sgaw Karen
- Video in Somali
- Fact sheet (pdf)
- Paper application
- List of Navigators in your area (pdf)
Date: 2013
Organization: Office of Refugee Resettlement