SUMMARY: Dale Rice, 62, lost a toe to infection and accrued over $20,000 in hospital debt while uninsured. Living far from his tribe’s health resources, he struggled to access specialty care under the federal Indian Health Service. A new tribal sponsorship program in Nevada aims to address this gap by allowing tribes to purchase health insurance through the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace. This initiative increases access to coverage for Native Americans and reduces financial burdens associated with uninsured care. While successful in providing assistance, concerns over expiring tax credits could jeopardize ongoing support for these programs, impacting health access further.

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The post A Program To Close Insurance Gaps for Native Americans Has Gone Largely Unused appeared first on kffhealthnews.org

SUMMARY: California está aconsejando a los proveedores de atención médica que no incluyan el estatus migratorio de los pacientes en registros y facturas, mientras que Florida y Texas exigen que se reporte. Trump ha declarado una emergencia en la frontera y ha anulado políticas que protegen a indocumentados cerca de lugares sensibles, lo que ha generado miedo en la comunidad inmigrante y ha incrementado la reluctancia a buscar atención médica. A pesar de las disparidades en las políticas estatales, los hospitales afirman que no denegarán atención por el estatus migratorio de los pacientes, buscando garantizar su privacidad y acceso a servicios esenciales.

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The post Hospitales dicen que no rechazarán pacientes, mientras los estados se posicionan sobre inmigración appeared first on kffhealthnews.org

SUMMARY: California is advising healthcare providers to avoid recording patients’ immigration status, while Florida and Texas require facilities to assess patients’ status and track costs associated with undocumented immigrants. Trump initiated a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, escalating immigration enforcement actions that have led to arrests at healthcare facilities. Despite varying state guidelines regarding patient treatment based on immigration status, hospitals emphasize that no one will be denied care. A significant percentage of noncitizens report hesitancy to seek medical attention due to fears of immigration enforcement, impacting overall public health and access to essential services.

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The post As States Diverge on Immigration, Hospitals Say They Won’t Turn Patients Away appeared first on kffhealthnews.org