Affordable Health Care Coverage for Mexican Immigrants in the Southwest: State-initiated Reform in the Private and Public Sectors

Details: By Amelia Valenzuela; Parent Category: Health Care, Generally; Category: Healthcare Disparities; 22 February 2013; Hits: 39256

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VI. Conclusion

Government policy and economic realities have given Mexican immigrants little choice but to resort to the ER as their primary source of health care. Implementing a two-pronged public and private approach to health care for Mexican immigrants can help southwestern border-states like Arizona increase the number of insured Mexicans and relieve ER strain. Southwestern border-states are geographically and demographically situated to take advantage of lower-cost health care in Mexico for documented Mexican immigrants. With the advent of Popular Insurance in Mexico, U.S. and state officials should encourage Mexico to cover their most vulnerable citizens working abroad, undocumented immigrants. Though health care is often seen through the lens of individual care, the over-use of ERs brings consequences to entire communities. All residents, regardless of citizenship status, suffer when their closest ER is overwhelmed or closed. Binational health insurance and a public health plan sponsored by Mexico are two ways southwestern border-states can increase the number of insured Mexican immigrants, lower uncompensated hospital costs, and improve the financial status of hospital ERs.

. Note and Comment Executive Editor, Arizona State Law Journal. J.D. Candidate, May 2013, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University; B.A., English and Hispanic Studies, Wheaton College, 2007.

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