Human rights and immigrants' access to care.
Although the human right to health is well established under international law, many states limit non-citizens' participation in public insurance programs. In the United States, immigrants face especially high barriers due to the lack of recognition of a broad right to health as well as federal statutes restricting many immigrants' eligibility to federally-funded insurance. High rates of uninsurance among immigrants have a detrimental effect on their health, as well as on the health of citizens who live in their communities. Finch vs. Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector, a recent case decided by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, recognized the rights of legal immigrants in Massachusetts to state-supported health care, and demonstrates the importance of insuring immigrants in broadly-based, rather than immigrant-specific, programs.
Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
Wendy
W
Parmet
Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
Simon
S
Fischer
D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States