Language Barriers and Healthcare Challenges for Immigrants with Limited English Proficiency After Health Reform in the United States

TL;DR

This paper examines how language barriers continue to hinder healthcare access for immigrants in the US despite health reforms.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the impact of language barriers on healthcare access post-health reform.

Findings

Language barriers negatively affected coverage enrollment for LEP individuals.

LEP individuals found it difficult to navigate the US healthcare system.

Language barriers hindered effective patient-provider interactions.

Abstract

Amid increased immigration enforcement and the rollback of health reform in the United States, immigrants’ healthcare access is at the center of these policy debates. Though previous research has examined the impact of language barriers on healthcare access, few studies have examined it since health policies have been implemented. This article explores how various language barriers undermined Latino/a immigrants and citizens’ ability to access coverage and care under comprehensive health reform in the United States. Specifically, this paper examines how language barriers affect: (1) coverage enrollment experiences; (2) navigation of the US healthcare system; and (3) patient-provider interactions. Using interviews from 209 immigrants, healthcare providers, and immigrant and healthcare advocates in Boston, MA, this article shows that language barriers reduced healthcare access for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals despite health reform in three ways: (1) negatively affected coverage enrollment; (2) made it more difficult to navigate the system; and (3) hindered patient-provider interactions. Nevertheless, respondents described immigrants and advocates’ efforts to reduce those barriers and improve healthcare experiences. This article elucidates our understanding of persistent healthcare language barriers despite reforms to increase healthcare access. This article concludes with a discussion regarding how the current socio-political climate will undermine healthcare access in the United States.