Health Gaps Policy Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), efforts to lessen the health disparities among the vulnerable population continue to be made possible. Fitzgerald, Myers, and Clark (2017) referred to the vulnerable population as those that are highly predisposed to complicated health conditions due to multiple existing barriers. In the case of immigrants residing in the United States (US), Artiga and Domico (2017) highlighted their challenges with the new policy reforms and the existing societal attitude towards them. Thus, knowledge and understanding of these vulnerable population’s situation – statistics, barriers, and current policy- can assist the health care providers in advocating for the health of these immigrants. As of
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For the refugees, the journey to the US was often forced, unplanned, and traumatic. Weng and Wolfe (2016) informed that this population tends to be vulnerable to limited health access and poor health conditions out of fear, doubts, and associated stress relating to the unfamiliar culture. Likewise, Weng and Wolfe (2016) also described Asian immigrants’ barriers to accessing health care include language barrier, adherence to native culture and alternative treatment, the priority of work over health to maintain income, and lack of knowledge on resources, transportation, community support available to …show more content…
However, Artiga and Domico (2017) ACA offers assistance to legal immigrants through Medicaid based on their incomes and after meeting the five-year waiting period. But then, Artiga and Domico (2017) stressed that the recent proposals on the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) would further restrict access to immigrants. Under the BCRA, Artiga and Domico (2017) affirmed that immigrants will have limited options to Marketplace coverage, tax credits, and Medicaid. In light of these, Artiga and Domico (2017) relayed the stress and fears of deportation and discrimination among immigrants to seek medical care for themselves and their children. Allowing immigrants in the US has been a historical pattern. Legally, documented immigrants are entitled to reasonable health care. For health care providers, under the Code of Ethics, nurses should provide nondiscriminatory care for all. Understanding the vulnerable population can assist nurses to advocate for the health of the
For the refugees, the journey to the US was often forced, unplanned, and traumatic. Weng and Wolfe (2016) informed that this population tends to be vulnerable to limited health access and poor health conditions out of fear, doubts, and associated stress relating to the unfamiliar culture. Likewise, Weng and Wolfe (2016) also described Asian immigrants’ barriers to accessing health care include language barrier, adherence to native culture and alternative treatment, the priority of work over health to maintain income, and lack of knowledge on resources, transportation, community support available to …show more content…
However, Artiga and Domico (2017) ACA offers assistance to legal immigrants through Medicaid based on their incomes and after meeting the five-year waiting period. But then, Artiga and Domico (2017) stressed that the recent proposals on the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) would further restrict access to immigrants. Under the BCRA, Artiga and Domico (2017) affirmed that immigrants will have limited options to Marketplace coverage, tax credits, and Medicaid. In light of these, Artiga and Domico (2017) relayed the stress and fears of deportation and discrimination among immigrants to seek medical care for themselves and their children. Allowing immigrants in the US has been a historical pattern. Legally, documented immigrants are entitled to reasonable health care. For health care providers, under the Code of Ethics, nurses should provide nondiscriminatory care for all. Understanding the vulnerable population can assist nurses to advocate for the health of the