As Hispanics becoming increasingly widely dispersed throughout the United States, they are experiencing greater challenges in accessing health care, according to a report released by the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. The report found that Hispanics who have migrated from large cities to smaller urban and rural areas--“new growth communities”--have uninsured rates that are nearly identical (31%) to those of Hispanics living in large urban areas (30%). But Hispanics in new growth communities had much less proximity to safety-net providers than those in urban areas. Only 43% of Hispanics in new growth communities live within five miles of a community health center compared with 71% of the Hispanic population in urban centers. And only half live within 10 miles of a safety-net hospital compared with 82% in cities. Physicians in new growth communities also experienced more language difficulties taking care of Hispanic patients, who tended to use the emergency department more often for care. In comparison, whites experienced improvements in access to care in new growth communities. The report advised that communities with growing numbers of Hispanics will have to develop strategies for removing cultural, language, and access barriers to treating these patients.
