First Year Open Enrollment Findings: Health Insurance Coverage for Asian Americans and the Role of Navigators.
The health insurance coverage established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has created an opportunity to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare. It is expected that of the 24 million individuals projected to join, nearly one-half will be non-white and one-fourth will speak a language other than English at home. Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing racial/ethnic groups in the USA. The majority are foreign born and experience limited English proficiency. The role of navigators has been shown to increase enrollment rates of public insurance programs. They are trusted for their shared traditions and sense of community. By conducting culturally-targeted outreach, Cambodian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Laotian community-based organizations were able to reach individuals for whom the percentage of uninsured is disproportionately high. They enrolled eligible Asians immigrants in coverage despite language barriers and limited health knowledge. Through a collaborative network, a community-level intervention was implemented that was associated with increases in first year marketplace enrollment and greater likelihood of obtaining a primary care physician. Preventable illnesses, lost productivity, and inadequate healthcare are major hardships in immigrant communities that bear similar burdens to society. Bringing primary care to the underserved helps to contain these costs.
Asian Health Coalition, 180 West Washington Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60602, USA. edwin@asianhealth.org.
Edwin
E
Chandrasekar
Division of the Biological Sciences and Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Disparities, University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Room S401 MC4080, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
Karen E
KE
Kim
Asian Health Coalition, 180 West Washington Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60602, USA.
Sharon
S
Song
Asian Health Coalition, 180 West Washington Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60602, USA.
Ranjana
R
Paintal
Division of the Biological Sciences and Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Disparities, University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Room S401 MC4080, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
Michael T
MT
Quinn
Division of the Biological Sciences and Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Disparities, University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Room S401 MC4080, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
Helen
H
Vallina
D001213:Asian; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007348:Insurance, Health; D062526:Patient Navigation; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; D044469:Racial Groups; D014481:United States
Accountable Care Act; Asians; Culturally-tailored outreach; Health disparities; In-Person Counselors; Insurance enrollment; National healthcare