A Doctor When We Need One

Policymaker's Playbook

Strategies for enhancing medical access among immigrant families include: 1) boosting funding for health care advocates that serve immigrant families; 2) working with immigrant communities to address cultural divides; and 3) expanding professional interpreter services.

Communication Breakdown

One of the largest barriers to care for immigrant families? Language. In Wisconsin, 62% of children in immigrant families have parents who are not fluent in English. Despite this statistic, non-native speakers often struggle through appointments without the aid of a trained medical interpreter.

Select Immigrants Need Not Apply

Not all immigrants are considered equal, according to state and federal laws. Immigrants who typically do not qualify for benefits include: asylum applicants, seasonal agricultural workers, undocumented immigrants and individuals with temporary protected status.

The Financial Factor

Foreign-born individuals are far more likely than their U.S. counterparts to earn $25,000 or less. Small paychecks coupled with steep prices for private insurance mean that many immigrant families go without and put off medical care unless absolutely necessary.

Filling in the Gap

Wisconsin supports 17 Federal Qualified Health Centers that offer primary care on a sliding fee scale and regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. In 2009, these centers saw more than 240,000 individuals. A quarter of this population was uninsured, and one out of every three patients was a child. Experts applaud this medical model because it delivers a standard level of care that anyone can access — immigrants included.

Classification Key

Get word wise: This policy brief spells out the differences between five types of foreign-born people in the United States.