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?

46,572 thoughts on “Access to Healthcare for Immigrants

  1. Thank you for your dedicated work on this platform. My niece thoroughly enjoys conducting research, and it’s evident why. We appreciate the invaluable insights and advice you provide on your website, fostering engagement and learning. Your efforts contribute to our collective understanding, and we’re grateful for the positive impact. Wishing you continued success and fulfillment in the coming year, you are doing an outstanding job. The processing time for an Ethiopian visa online how long does it take submitted online varies. The cost of an Ethiopian evisa or visa varies depending on the type of visa required and the desired processing time. Typically, it takes around 3 to 5 business days for the application to be processed. However, factors like the volume of applications and the completeness of submitted documents can affect the processing time. It’s advisable to apply well in advance of your planned travel dates to ensure timely approval.

    Reply

  2. Oh my goodness! a tremendous article dude. Thank you Nonetheless I’m experiencing difficulty with ur rss . Don know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anybody getting equivalent rss problem? Anybody who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx netflix

    Reply

  3. Here is very much want the most impressive sparkle terrific. Each one of these moderate areas are me ant by means of selection of makeup foundation curiosity. I love individuals much. stanton city hall

    Reply

  4. I know this isn’t exactly on subject, but i’ve a site using the identical program as properly and i am getting troubles with my comments displaying. is there a setting i am missing? it’s potential it’s possible you’ll assist me out? thanx. ซีรี่ย์ไทย

    Reply

  5. I want to show my appreciation for your kindness for those people that require guidance on this particular subject. Your real dedication to getting the solution up and down turned out to be surprisingly interesting and has always enabled men and women just like me to reach their pursuits. This valuable tips and hints entails a lot to me and far more to my office colleagues. Many thanks; from everyone of us. หนังเกาหลี

    Reply

  6. Discover the ultimate destination for watching all your favorite movies and TV shows online without any subscription fees. Choose Movierulz for endless entertainment options!

    Reply

  7. I have noticed that over the course of making a relationship with real estate managers, you’ll be able to get them to understand that, in most real estate financial transaction, a percentage is paid. Ultimately, FSBO sellers never “save” the percentage. Rather, they try to win the commission simply by doing the agent’s work. In doing this, they spend their money plus time to accomplish, as best they’re able to, the duties of an agent. Those jobs include displaying the home by way of marketing, offering the home to buyers, making a sense of buyer emergency in order to prompt an offer, scheduling home inspections, controlling qualification inspections with the loan provider, supervising maintenance, and aiding the closing. ดูซีรีย์,ดูซีรี่ย์ฟรี,ดูซีรี่ย์ออนไลน์

    Reply

  8. Very informative article and great content. Reminds me of the writing style of the blogs on Astro Kundli.

    Reply

  9. You delivered such an impressive piece to read, giving every subject enlightenment for us to gain information. Thanks for sharing such information with us due to which my several concepts have been cleared. MP3 Juice Downloader

    Reply

  10. Judi Online Terpopuler Slot88 merupakan salah satu permainan judi online yang paling diminati oleh para pecinta judi di seluruh Asia. Dengan tampilan yang menarik dan beragam tema yang tersedia, pemain bisa memilih permainan yang sesuai dengan selera mereka. Mulai dari tema klasik hingga tema modern, Judi Online Slot88 ini memiliki berbagai pilihan yang bisa membuat Anda terhibur.

    Reply

  11. Surprisingly! It’s as if you read my mind! You appear to know therefore considerably relating to this, just like you wrote it in it or something. We feel that you simply can do with some pictures to drive the content residence a bit, on top of that, this really is great blog. A exceptional study. I will definitely revisit once more. master slot gacor

    Reply

  12. terima kasih atas artikelnya yang sangat bagus saya sangat ebrterima kasih bisa membaca artikel dari anda, tetapi jika anda tidak keberatan anda bisa masuk kedalam situs saya di inatogel karena banyak tersedia game online

    Reply

  13. Thank you for sharing such useful information. I’m a Writer by profession and I found that today’s students are very curious about their assignments. I recommend that to get help from an online platform that offers Science Assignment Help to students in Australia. An assignment writer is a professional who specializes in crafting high-quality and well-researched academic papers on various subjects and topics.

    Reply

  14. Your article has broadened my understanding and challenged my preconceptions.

    Reply

  15. 이 기사에서 훌륭한 작업을 수행했습니다. 매우 정확하고 질적입니다. 읽기 쉽고 읽기 쉽게 만들었습니다. 당신은 진짜 글쓰기 재능이 있습니다. 정말 고맙습니다 토토사이트

    Reply

  16. You have made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for more information about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this web site. 小學中文補習

    Reply

  17. Judi Online Slot Bonanza adalah pilihan yang sempurna bagi Anda yang ingin mencoba keberuntungan dalam bermain slot. Dengan berbagai tema menarik, grafis yang memukau. Judi Online Slot Bonanza menawarkan kesempatan untuk memenangkan hadiah besar.

    Reply

  18. Very informative article and great content. Reminds me of the writing style of the blogs on Astro Kundli.

    Reply

  19. Very efficiently written information. It will be beneficial to anybody who utilizes it, including me. Keep up the good work. For sure i will check out more posts. This site seems to get a good amount of visitors. slot gacor maxwin

    Reply

  20. Wow, What a Excellent post. I really found this to much informatics. It is what i was searching for.I would like to suggest you that please keep sharing such type of info.Thanks slot88

    Reply

  21. Hey what a brilliant post I have come across and believe me I have been searching out for this similar kind of post for past a week and hardly came across this. Thank you very much and will look for more postings from you. jepangqq

    Reply

  22. Yes i am totally agreed with this article and i just want say that this article is very nice and very informative article.I will make sure to be reading your blog more. You made a good point but I can’t help but wonder, what about the other side? !!!!!!THANKS!!!!!! jepangqq

    Reply

  23. Unearth the rich cultural tapestry of Gwalior, a city renowned for its grand palaces and temples, with the added allure of the most enticing Dating Girls in Gwalior. Our painstakingly chosen accompanies imbue each second in this verifiable city with a brilliant emanation of appeal and refinement, guaranteeing that consistently turns into a festival of joy and euphoria.
    https://www.ctbabe.com/call-girls/gwalior/

    Reply

  24. Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say wonderful blog! webdesigner inhuren

    Reply

  25. Wonderful article, thanks for putting this together! This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have so provided here. jepangqq

    Reply

  26. I like your post. It is good to see you verbalize from the heart and clarity on this important subject can be easily observed… sbobet

    Reply

  27. Amazing article. I have been looking to fully understand this topic and be able to teach other folks. I think you have wonderful ideas here together with proven results. The question is: Is there a approach to really get all your tips here in the type of an ebook? Do you have a book written on this subject? The reason why I’m requesting is that I don’t get constant access to the internet. Therefore, a book could really help me to make consultation even when there is no access to the internet. Here

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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