The Role of Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage for Immigrants: A Primer

Abstract

Even though immigrant families are just as likely as native citizen families to have a full-time worker, they are far less likely to have access to employer-sponsored health coverage. Further, access to employer-sponsored health insurance is declining for all families living in the United States, and this problem is especially acute for immigrant families. Employer-sponsored coverage is a particularly important source of insurance for immigrant families since their eligibility for public coverage through Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is restricted. This primer examines the role of employer-based coverage for immigrants and the specific hurdles they face in obtaining this coverage.