Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Americans have more freedom and control in their health care choices. Americans have the freedom from worrying about losing their insurance, or having it capped unexpectedly if someone is in an accident or becomes sick. They no longer have to live in fear of double-digit premium increases from their insurance companies without recourse or accountability. It frees Americans from discrimination when insurance companies deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition. It reduces costs for families and businesses and it includes substantial new benefits and freedoms for all Americans.
Historically, Latinos have faced significant barriers to accessing affordable health insurance and these barriers have contributed to significant health disparities:
- 32 percent of Latinos were uninsured in 2009—higher than any other racial or ethnic group–, and half of Latinos did not have a regular doctor, compared with only one-fifth of white Americans.
- Twenty percent of low-income Hispanic youth have gone a year without a health care visit – a rate three times higher than that for high-income whites.
- Latinos were diagnosed with AIDS at three times the rate of whites.
- In 2006, almost half of Latinos reported they did not always get care when they needed it, compared with 43 percent of blacks and 41 percent of white Americans.
The Affordable Care Act will help reduce these disparities and help deliver affordable coverage to as many as 9 million currently uninsured, eligible Latinos.
For more information or to find information about the ACA written in Spanish click here: http://www.cuidadodesalud.gov/enes/ for more information in English click here: http://www.healthcare.gov/