Access to Care Act | Maryland Legislative Agenda
A Safer, Healthier Maryland for All
Update: The Access to Care Act passed the House and the Senate and is headed to the Governor's desk to become law.
While the pandemic highlighted the disparities that communities of color face in the healthcare system and the urgency to address health inequities, healthcare expansion has been a top priority to the Maryland immigrant community. Access to health care is a human right and should not be limited to pregnancy or immigration status. Leaving immigrant communities out of the healthcare system adversely impacts our communities’ well-being leading to an overall decrease in the well-being of Marylanders.
Reduces the strain on the emergency room being used as primary care.
Higher rates of early detection and better long-term management of chronic diseases and serious illnesses, decrease in mortality rates and increase in overall healthier communities.
Removes immigration status as a barrier to purchasing insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
CASA’s grassroots efforts and organizing around healthcare expansion for undocumented pregnant individuals during the previous legislative session were worthwhile. However, undocumented Marylanders are ineligible for care through the state. These individuals are members of our communities and are just as likely as anyone other Marylander to fall ill during peak seasons of infections or simply experience a life event that requires medical attention. Legislators have the responsibility to care for all of their constituents’ needs and they can do so by passing the Access to Care for All legislation, which will provide health care access regardless of immigration status.
Although Maryland’s uninsured rate is at a historic low of 6%, by current definition 100% of undocumented immigrant residents willing to get on the MHBE are not allowed to do so and therefore are uninsured. The pandemic taught us how vulnerable our communities are without access to desperately needed care and how crippling to our economy lack of access to care is. The Access to Care Act is being reintroduced in this legislative session. We demand our legislators join the handful of states that guarantee Access to Care regardless of immigration status.
