Posted on 47,709 Comments on Access to Healthcare for Immigrants

Access to Healthcare for Immigrants

Access to healthcare can be determined by several factors (i.e. geographical location, income, insurance)–being an immigrant, especially a recent immigrant to the U.S., is one of these factors. In Albany, NY, the immigrant population has grown over the past few years and currently, 13.2% of the population consists of individuals that were not born in the U.S. (1). Coming to a new country presents many unique challenges, but access to healthcare is one that can prevent individuals from adjusting well and living a safe and healthy lifestyle.

Health Insurance

Due to their lack of citizenship after first moving to the U.S., health insurance options can be limited for immigrants, especially for undocumented immigrants (2). This limits access to many providers who only accept patients with insurance, and while undocumented immigrants can sometimes receive care from community health centers, this care is often only basic primary care or to be used in emergencies (2).

In New York state, all children can receive the Child Health Plus plan, regardless of their immigration status. This plan is comprehensive and includes preventative care, well-child visits, and emergency services (3). Additionally, pregnant women can receive Medicaid regardless of immigration status and some documented immigrants may qualify for the Essential Plan soon after they move to NY (2). However, if an individual does not fit into these categories, the only services that an undocumented immigrant may receive are emergency services (2). While this is beneficial, it leaves out the preventative care and services that can treat symptoms before they worsen beyond control.

Translation Services & Health Literacy

Many immigrant families, especially when they first immigrate to the U.S., are considered to have low English proficiency (LEP). This makes communication in healthcare settings a challenge and can be a barrier to receiving quality care, as the patient and provider cannot have a direct, fluid conversation. Some health care settings in New York have put up this ‘Language Identification Tool Poster’ that allows patients to point to their language, so that appropriate translation services may be provided.  A portion of the poster is shown below, with a link to the full poster here:

While resources such as this poster can help, patients and providers would still not be able to speak directly to each other, and would only be able to communicate through a translator.

Additionally, understanding health insurance options can also be difficult when there is a language barrier, as there are different requirements for each plan. A search engine can be found here for in-person help. This search engine consists of a directory of in-person helpers that can assist individuals in navigating the health system and health insurance plans specifically. While only eight languages are supported, including English, this service can benefit some individuals in understanding how to receive health services for themselves and their families.

COVID-19

With the current pandemic, language barriers present a unique challenge in being able to transmit public health information clearly to the general population. As immigrants make up a large portion of the population, it is essential that they understand basic information about the virus and are able to practice appropriate measures to limit the spread of the virus. Valleywise Health Medical Center in Arizona has made a series of videos available on Youtube that describe what COVID-19 is and what to do if you are sick. These videos have been made available in 12 languages, one of which can be played below.

These videos can be incredibly helpful for individuals that may not understand what is happening in their local communities as a result the virus, but coming across these videos may not be common for many immigrants, as they require some searching. It would therefore be helpful for similar resources and information to be sent to or made available to local communities, either in the style of videos or in pamphlet form.

While many resources exist to help immigrants navigate the healthcare system and obtain information about resources, these resources are not always used or made readily available to immigrant families. Many require searching and prior knowledge about websites and organizations that usually provide public health, insurance, and language services. In the future, it would be important to ensure that immigrants are aware of the resources that exist so that they can have access to the healthcare that they might need. What are some ways this could be done?

47,709 thoughts on “Access to Healthcare for Immigrants”

  2. I haven’t checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are really good quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend. insurance guides How to Unlock iCloud Locked iPhone

    Reply

  4. It is aimed at providing a learning environment for children where their core is safeguarded and strengthened with the help of the Aurinko Ecosystem – Parents, Family, Teachers and the Community. Our ecosystem supports various programs, experiences and interventions so that children add various skills to their Toolkit.
    Alternate schools near me

    Reply

  5. hello there and thanks in your info – I have definitely picked up something new from right here. I did on the other hand expertise some technical points using this site, as I experienced to reload the website a lot of times previous to I may get it to load properly. I had been puzzling over in case your web host is OK? No longer that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will often impact your placement in google and can injury your quality score if advertising and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Well I’m including this RSS to my email and could look out for a lot extra of your respective exciting content. Ensure that you replace this again very soon.. промокод 1xbet на сегодня

    Reply

  14. The assignment submission period was over and I was nervous, baccaratsite and I am very happy to see your post just in time and it was a great help. Thank you ! Leave your blog address below. Please visit me anytime.

    Reply

  15. Two full thumbs up for this magneficent article of yours. I’ve really enjoyed reading this article today and I think this might be one of the best article that I’ve read yet. Please, keep this work going on in the same quality. usauptrend

    Reply

  16. You re in point of fact a just right webmaster. The website loading speed is amazing. It kind of feels that you’re doing any distinctive trick. Moreover, The contents are masterpiece. you have done a fantastic activity on this subject! usauptrend

    Reply

  17. First, let’s kill off a genuine fabrication: You can not use a reverse cellular phone number lookup for totally free anywhere, anytime. SBA Loans

    Reply

  22. I was suggested this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You are wonderful! Thanks!Nice blog here! Also your web site loads up fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol Buy web 2.0 backlinks

    Reply

  23. I have been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or blog posts in this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this web site. Reading this information So i¡¦m glad to show that I have an incredibly good uncanny feeling I came upon exactly what I needed. I such a lot indubitably will make certain to don¡¦t forget this web site and give it a look a relentless basis. Great Brand Strategy Techniques

    Reply

  24. They understood that accepting Esteban Morales’s offer meant relinquishing their control over the shell and potentially subjecting it to a fate of exploitation. 메이저사이트

    Reply

  25. Deep within his heart, a glimmer of integrity refused to be extinguished, urging him to uncover the truth for the sake of knowledge itself. 먹튀검증

    Reply

  29. I am glad that it turned out so well and I hope it will continue in the future because it is so worthwhile and meaningful to the community. Christian Dating

    Reply

  30. MyPrepaidCenter operates as a centralized hub for effectively managing prepaid cards, offering a comprehensive suite of services. To check the balance and activate a prepaid card, users simply need to visit the MyPrepaidCenter website and log in to their account.

    Reply

  32. Thank you for sharing excellent informations. Your web-site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you¡¦ve on this web site. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found simply the information I already searched all over the place and simply couldn’t come across. What a perfect web-site. rentacarkosova berkahslot

    Reply

  33. I ran across your site last week and started to follow your posts consistently. I haven’t commented on any kind of blog site just yet but I was considering to start soon. It’s truly exciting to actually contribute to an article even if it’s only a blog. I really don’t know exactly what to write other than I really loved reading through a couple of of your articles. Great articles for sure. I will keep visiting your blog regularly. I learned a lot from you. Thanks! berkahslot

    Reply

  35. ที่นี่คุณจะพบสล็อตที่คุณต้องการ Betflik168! ลองสล็อตแบบ iGaming และรับโปรโมชั่นที่ดีที่สุดที่นี่ >> https://www.betflik168.com/betflik-game/

    Reply

  37. เริ่มต้นการเดิมพันที่ Betflik และคุณจะได้พบกับโลกของสล็อตที่หลากหลาย บาคาร่า และเกมที่ท้าทายอยู่ที่ https://www.betflik168.com/register-betflik/

    Reply

  38. พร้อมที่จะเริ่มต้นการเดิมพันที่ไม่เหมือนใคร? สมัครสมาชิก Betflik และรับโปรโมชั่นสมาชิกใหม่ได้ที่ https://www.betflik168.com/promotions/

    Reply

  40. 먹튀폴리스
    This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing this great article! That is very interesting Smile I love reading and I am always searching for informative information like this!

    Reply

  41. PVATO is your reliable source for purchasing various types of phone verified accounts.BUY 100% VERIFIED ACCOUNTS IN CHEAP PRICE! Try our PVA like Gmail, Google Voice, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more
    Buy Pvato accounts

    Reply

  43. Thank You for Valuable Knowledge, The sheer elegance of a hot air balloon launch is truly mesmerizing. if you are interested in Vapes, Welcome to Big Vape Bar, your premier destination for all things vaping. Explore a world of vaping innovation and satisfaction with our wide range of products, including the cutting-edge Crystal Pro Max Plus. At Big Vape Bar, we’re dedicated to providing the finest vaping experiences, ensuring every puff is extraordinary. Discover the future of vaping with us today.

    Reply

  44. Thank you for a Valuable Knowledge. BTW if you are interested in WWE. WWE Fanatics is Your Gateway to the Greatest Hell in a Cell Matches. Dive into a world of wrestling excitement and relive the most epic battles inside the steel structure. Discover your favorite WWE moments with us

    Reply

  47. After study many of the content for your web site now, i truly as if your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark site list and are checking back soon. Pls have a look at my site also and figure out how you feel. Servicii Notariale Londra

    Reply

  48. TamilDhool is first to have the episodes, So visit us daily and tell your friends about our website they can also enjoy the episodes

    Reply

  50. From some point on, I am preparing to build my site while browsing various sites. It is now somewhat completed. If you are interested, please come to play with casinocommunity !!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *