With recent changes in eligibility standards for public health insurance programs, barriers to receiving medical care have been exacerbated for immigrant and refugee populations. Eligibility changes have also placed an extra burden on outreach workers enrolling immigrants and refugees in health insurance programs. With this in mind, a study was conducted that combines provider interviews and focus groups with Latino, Somali, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Bosnian immigrants and refugees. This study, conducted by staff at Health Care for All, qualitatively documents the barriers to health insurance as perceived by immigrants, refugees and providers, with an emphasis on the cultural competency and complexity of the application and redetermination processes. In addition, the study elicits suggestions regarding improvements to state health insurance programs and policies. Findings suggest that fear of deportation continues to be associated with receiving public health benefits, despite recent INS guidance stating that use of non-cash public benefits does not effect immigration status. Other barriers to health insurance include the complexity and the lack of translation of outreach, application, and redetermination materials, the lack of bilingual outreach workers, and the stigma of receiving public assistance. In addition, providers and immigrants recommend a number of assets in their communities that government health programs should utilize, and suggest improvements in eligibility requirements, staffing, enrollment and redetermination policies. The qualitative nature of this study richly illustrates the underlying factors of barriers and assets to immigrant health access, while generating useful themes applicable to improving immigrant health outreach and policy.
Learning Objectives: Identify barriers to enrolling immigrants and refugees in public health insurance programs. Describe policy change objectives as articulated by immigrants, refugees and providers
Keywords: Immigrants, Health Care Access
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Health Care for All
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: The first author is employed
by Health Care for All