Health with Borders? Analyzing How Immigration Status Determines Who Accesses Medical Services in the U.S.
The U.S. health care system reflects inequalities in access to medical care, especially among the immigrant population; immigration status and residency status continue to be decisive factors determining who can have health insurance and who is excluded. The most recent figures confirm this. According to the latest American Community Survey (ACS), 47.1 million immigrants reside in the country: 24.7 million are naturalized citizens and 22.4 million are non-citizens, including both legal and undocumented residents. The gaps in coverage are stark, …