Philadelphia is a diverse city that has experienced an increasing immigrant and refugee population in recent decades. Although many academic medical centers also call Philadelphia their home, lack of accessibility and difficulty with insurance limit access to health care for many of its newest residents. The Social Health and Medical Services (SHAMS) Free Health Clinic was started to help address some of these disparities, especially for immigrant and refugee populations. Despite initial setbacks, the clinic has thrived and even moved locations to accommodate increasing patient demand. While many patients initially presented for primary care, there was a growing need for specialist care and coordinated multidisciplinary management. We present an example of a partnership between an academic center (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania) and a community health center (SHAMS clinic), whereby patients have access to a dedicated neurology clinic that is run by residents and staffed by neurology attendings. This has allowed patients to have access to outpatient neurologic care, has facilitated referral to inpatient care when needed for serious conditions such as status epilepticus (as in the case study discussed), and has allowed for continuity of care between the hospital and the outpatient setting. Although this clinic is an endeavor to create an academic-community partnership, there is still much work to do to improve medical access in the immigrant and refugee communities.

Two nonprofits serving New Jersey's immigrant and low-income communities have formed a unique partnership to offer medical and legal services along with wraparound support under one roof. Dover-based Zufall Health and the Jersey City-based New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children met in Morristown to announce the launch of Florecer, teaming...

As of 2022, there were 21.2 million individuals who are noncitizen immigrants residing in the U.S., accounting for about 7% of the country’s total population. Among noncitizen immigrants, about six in ten are lawfully present immigrants while the remaining four in ten are undocumented immigrants. Noncitizen immigrants, particularly those who are undocumented, face significant barriers to accessing health coverage and care and are significantly more likely than citizens to be uninsured. These higher uninsured rates reflect more limited access to private coverage and eligibility restrictions for federally funded coverage options. Some states have taken up options in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to expand coverage for lawfully present immigrants and/or established fully state-funded programs to fill gaps in coverage for immigrants. This brief provides an overview of state take-up of these options and state health coverage programs for immigrants regardless of status. It also examines how health coverage and care for immigrants vary by state coverage policies using data from the 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants.

Health care in America is often a tale of two nations. For many Americans—particularly white and wealthy ones—the U.S. can offer some of the best, most groundbreaking care in the world.

The introduction of a fee to access healthcare to be paid by people who move to the Isle of Man on a visa is still under consideration, the Treasury Minister has said. It follows a report on migration incentives and disincentives debated by Tynwald last week, with recommendations arising from the document due to be brought forward in May.

(The Center Square) – The surge of undocumented immigration in the U.S. strains resources far beyond the border, leaving many areas grappling with mounting pressures on social services. This includes hospitals that face the cost of uncompensated care. Uncompensated care refers to services provided without payment, such as charity care and unanticipated bad debt. Federal […]

TEXAS, USA — Texas hospitals will have to start asking patients about their immigration status beginning next week. Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order in August directing Texas hospitals to collect data on inpatient discharges and emergency visits by immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization and the costs associated with providing medical services to that group.

Vice President Kamala Harris skirted answering whether illegal immigrants should receive federal government healthcare when pressed by an undecided Latino voter during a Nevada town hall Thursday. Harris’s stance on the matter has come under scrutiny after her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), claimed last weekend that the vice president did not support his […]

Doctors say proposals will make it difficult to reassure trafficking victims and asylum seekers ‘hospitals are safe places’

Ensuring access to food, housing, quality healthcare, and employment is key to a high quality of life. U.S. News & World Report carried out a study to identify which countries are regarded as treating their citizens the best. Depending on your personal situation, it may or may not come as...