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?

46,796 thoughts on “Access to Healthcare for Immigrants

  1. i will set up my new concept from this submit. It gives extensive information. thanks for this precious records for all,.. his explanation

    Reply

  2. Thank you so much as you have been willing to share information with us. We will forever admire all you have done here because you have made my work as easy as ABC. 슬롯사이트

    Reply

  3. Hey there! Looking for expert guidance on the best gaming platforms? Check out casinomentor With in-depth reviews, tips, and recommendations, CasinoMentor helps you find the perfect site to suit your needss

    Reply

  4. Really I enjoy your site with effective and useful information. It is included very nice post with a lot of our resources.thanks for share. i enjoy this post. login iosbet

    Reply

  5. Join 24kbet today and turn every bet into a golden opportunity for big wins and endless excitement.

    Reply

  6. I have bookmarked your blog, the articles are way better than other similar blogs.. thanks for a great blog! poker88

    Reply

  7. Speed courting provides you with an even shorter period to be able to make an impression. As a substitute courting process, it is usually a great deal of enjoyment. A person sit down reverse of someone and also each of you include a short while to make sure one other concerning oneself. If the bell jewelry everyone step on to the subsequent dining room table, begin at rectangle just one along with replicate. https://rumahselangorku.net/astrum-ampang/

    Reply

  8. 388hero merupakan situs online deposit pulsa tanpa potongan telkomsel, xl dan juga axis serta menyediakan permainan online terlengkap di indonesia. SLOT GACOR

    Reply

  9. Thank you for some other magnificent article. The place else could anyone get that kind of info in such a perfect manner of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I am at the look for such information. banker of the day tips

    Reply

  10. Great job for publishing such a beneficial web site. Your web log isn’t only useful but it is additionally really creative too. exototo

    Reply

  11. The journey of education is not a solitary pursuit but a collective adventure of exploration, discovery, and enlightenment, as we seek to imagine, innovate, and collaborate on new solutions, insights, and ways of understanding the world Slot Demo Nolimit city

    Reply

  12. Thanks for sharing the post.. parents are worlds best person in each lives of individual..they need or must succeed to sustain needs of the family. 토토사이트 추천

    Reply

  13. I was surfing the Internet for information and came across your blog. I am impressed by the information you have on this blog. It shows how well you understand this subject. topps tiles

    Reply

  14. I simply must tell you that you have written an excellent and unique article that I really enjoyed reading. I’m fascinated by how well you laid out your material and presented your views. Thank you. a course in miracles

    Reply

  15. Consumers has to be deeper schooled to spot the importance inside the fears, to utilize fashionable procedures of birth control, to conserve a few of our all all-natural alternatives collectively with promoting several of our items and expert services. Our firm is sure you can easliy include a extra powerful collectively with clearer put from now on. สล็อต

    Reply

  16. You need to take part in a contest personally of the most effective blogs over the internet. I’m going to suggest this web site! Wiki Links

    Reply

  17. احمي منزلك وممتلكاتك من أضرار تسربات المياه مع خدمات كشف تسربات المياه بالرياض. فريقنا المحترف مستعد لتحديد وإصلاح التسربات بدقة وفعالية، مما يساعد في الحفاظ على سلامة المبنى وتوفير التكاليف على المدى الطويل. اتصل الآن للحصول على خدمة فورية وموثوقة في كشف تسربات المياه بالرياض.

    القي نظرة خفيفة على الموقع :
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/yEGS5NHzijjJ57af9

    Reply

  18. I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for your outstanding article. Your insights have truly enlightened me. siêuno win

    Reply

  19. I ran into this page on accident, surprisingly, this is a amazing website. The site owner has done a great job writing/collecting articles to post, the info here is really insightful. Now i am going to bookmark this internet site so that I can revisit in the future. 1xbet4iran.com

    Reply

  20. Haller is chauffeured from courtroom to courtroom across Los Angeles by Earl (Lawrence Mason), a former client now offering his services in lieu of legal fees. m88

    Reply

  21. Rekomendasi agen slot777 merupakan bocoran slot gacor hari ini gampang menang maxwin khusus dari provider slot Thailand gacor terpercaya sejak tahun 2024 .

    Reply

  22. Attractive component to content. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to assert that I get in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing for your augment or even I achievement you access persistently rapidly. judi slot

    Reply

  23. MPO0110 adalah situs online deposit via all bank, e – wallet, serta deposit via pulsa tanpa potongan. Dan juga menyediakan permainan online terlengkap dan terbaik di indonesia. MPO0110 LOGIN

    Reply

  24. Hey there! Discover the thrill of winning with 24betting! Enjoy a wide range of sports betting and casinogames, all in one user-friendly app. Join now and start your winning journey today!

    Reply

  25. MPO0110 adalah situs online deposit via all bank, e – wallet, serta deposit via pulsa tanpa potongan. Dan juga menyediakan permainan online terlengkap dan terbaik di indonesia. MPO0110 LOGIN

    Reply

  26. MPO0110 adalah situs online deposit via all bank, e – wallet, serta deposit via pulsa tanpa potongan. Dan juga menyediakan permainan online terlengkap dan terbaik di indonesia. MPO0110 LOGIN

    Reply

  27. MPO0110 adalah situs online deposit via all bank, e – wallet, serta deposit via pulsa tanpa potongan. Dan juga menyediakan permainan online terlengkap dan terbaik di indonesia. MPO0110 LOGIN

    Reply

  28. MPO0110 adalah situs online deposit via all bank, e – wallet, serta deposit via pulsa tanpa potongan. Dan juga menyediakan permainan online terlengkap dan terbaik di indonesia. MPO0110 DAFTAR

    Reply

  29. MPO0110 adalah situs online deposit via all bank, e – wallet, serta deposit via pulsa tanpa potongan. Dan juga menyediakan permainan online terlengkap dan terbaik di indonesia. MPO0110 DAFTAR

    Reply

  30. MPO0110 adalah situs online deposit via all bank, e – wallet, serta deposit via pulsa tanpa potongan. Dan juga menyediakan permainan online terlengkap dan terbaik di indonesia. MPO0110 DAFTAR

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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