Posted on 47,602 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?

47,602 thoughts on “Access to Healthcare for Immigrants”

  3. I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this blog. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade content from you later on as well. – 24kbet

    Reply

  6. Thanks for making the honest attempt to speak about this. I believe very robust approximately it and want to read more. If it’s OK, as you gain more in depth wisdom, would you thoughts adding extra articles similar to this one with additional information? It might be extremely useful and useful for me and my friends. a course in miracles

    Reply

  7. Just pure brilliance from you here. I have never expected something less than this from you and you have not disappointed me at all. I suppose you will keep the quality work going on. Zwembaden Limburg

    Reply

  10. Dice for TTRPG tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, Shadowrun, Tales of the Valiant, Call of Cthulhu and many others. game dice

    Reply

  11. I really loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to undertand. Unlike additional blogs I have read which are really not tht good. I also found your posts very interesting. In fact after reading, I had to go show it to my friend and he ejoyed it as well 먹튀검증

    Reply

  12. Online lottery is here as an answer to the demands of an increasingly modern era. Now, lottery fans no longer need to bother looking for a land bookie or waiting for the results to be released in certain places Kraton4d

    Reply

  15. I was reading some of your content on this website and I conceive this internet site is really informative ! Keep on putting up. alexistogel

    Reply

  22. Singapore lottery uses a random number drawing system, where each number has the same chance of coming out Pf777

    Reply

  24. Sebagai situs slot gacor resmi tahun 2024, IDR168 menawarkan pengalaman bermain slot online terbaik. Dengan berbagai macam pilihan permainan slot dan bet 200 perak, situs ini menjadi tujuan utama para slotter di Indonesia. Fitur Slot unggulan dan jaminan keamanan membuat IDR168 sebagai Situs terpercaya untuk meraih kemenangan besar. idr168 link alternatif

    Reply

  27. Tokewin Middle Edge: Guess whether the number that comes out belongs to the middle group (25-74) or the edge (00-24 and 75-99)

    Reply

  29. 당신이 작성하는 것을 멋지게, 정보는 매우 좋고 흥미 롭습니다. 나는 당신에게 한 링크를 줄 것입니다. 토토사이트

    Reply

  31. Good post but I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Appreciate it! 티비사이트

    Reply

  33. You make so many great points here that I read your article a couple of times. Your views are in accordance with my own for the most part. This is great content for your readers. Novo Place

    Reply

  34. Thanks for sharing these informations. I really like your blog post very much. You have really shared a informative and interesting blog post . 스포츠중계

    Reply

  35. Thank you, I’ve just been searching for information about this topic for a while and yours is the greatest I’ve discovered till now. But, what in regards to the conclusion? Are you sure concerning the supply? acim

    Reply

  37. Wow, cool post. I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real hard work to make a great article… but I put things off too much and never seem to get started. Thanks though. anru33

    Reply

  38. Oh my goodness! an excellent article dude. Thank you Nonetheless I will be experiencing trouble with ur rss . Don’t know why Struggling to sign up to it. Perhaps there is any person finding identical rss difficulty? Anyone who knows kindly respond. Thnkx situs slot gacor

    Reply

  39. I wanted to thank you for this excellent read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it. I have you bookmarked your site to check out the new stuff you post. 123 movies

    Reply

  40. Banquet Halls in Rohini
    Searching for the best banquet halls in Rohini? Look no further than The Maidens Crown. Our luxurious venue is perfect for weddings, birthdays, and grand celebrations. With modern amenities and exceptional service, your special day will be truly unforgettable. Book now and make your event a memorable experience!

    Visit Now:- https://www.royalpepperbanquets.com/

    Reply

  42. This is a terrific web site, could you be interested in doing an interview regarding how you designed it? If so e-mail me! ko66

    Reply

  43. In a similar fashion, determine this particular.. might a male exactly who says he has gaining many trillion us dollars annually, take the time to be able to local seo create plus current market a great booklet expounding on the best way he / she would the item? There’s no doubt that not necessarily! Opt for a person’s very first instincs, they’re usually rather appropriate! custom application development

    Reply

  44. Togel is not just a game, but also a social phenomenon that builds community and togetherness. Many players discuss strategies and share predictions, creating an exciting and enthusiastic atmosphere. For more complete information, just visit our website waktogel By understanding more about this game, you will be better prepared to achieve victory

    Reply

  46. Thanks for posting this info. I just want to let you know that I just check out your site and I find it very interesting and informative. I can’t wait to read lots of your posts. BigTechoro

    Reply

  47. Very interesting blog. Alot of blogs I see these days don’t really provide anything that I’m interested in, but I’m most definately interested in this one. Just thought that I would post and let you know. BigTechoro

    Reply

  48. كود خصم نمشي: إذا كنت من عشاق الموضة والأزياء، فإن كود خصم نمشي سيمكنك من الاستفادة من التخفيضات لأحدث صيحات الموضة.

    Reply

  50. You make such never-ending shocking fixations here that I focused in on your article on different events. Your perspectives are as appeared by my case thinking about everything. This is brilliant substance for your perusers. https://virilplexxl.net/

    Reply

Leave a Reply

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