Posted on 08/13/2008 6:18:19 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
Although Andres Ramirez didn’t visit the doctor very often when he lived in Mexico, he now goes to the Chattanooga Homeless Health Care Clinic at least once every three months to treat his diabetes.
“Part of it is our culture,” said the 35-year-old, who has lived in the United States for 14 years. “We are not used to going to the doctor unless we feel very sick.
“As Hispanics, we don’t go to the doctor regularly because most of the time we come here to work and we say we don’t have time for the doctor,” he said. “Which shouldn’t be the case. We need to take care of ourselves more.”
Twenty-seven percent of Hispanic adults in the United States — 30 percent in the South — lack a regular health care provider, according to a report released today by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Similar to the general U.S. population, Hispanic males, the young and the less educated are less likely to have primary health care providers, according to the report, “Hispanics and Health Care in the United States: Access, Information and Knowledge.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously reported that, compared to other groups, Hispanics are twice as likely as non-Hispanic blacks and three times as likely as non-Hispanic whites to lack regular health care providers.
“When it comes to Latinos, what may appear to be the well-known effects of socioeconomic inequality on health care may also be conditioned by unique social, cultural and economic circumstances confronting both Hispanic immigrants and Hispanics born in the United States,” the report said.
The Hispanic population in the United States has more than doubled in the past 15 years and is now estimated to have reached 45 million, said Debra Perez, senior program officer for the New Jersey-based Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, an organization whose stated goal is to improve American health care.
“If we are going to design effective public health approaches in the future, it’s critical that we understand how Hispanics use health resources and where they turn for health information they trust,” she said.
About 41 percent of those surveyed who lack a regular health care provider said the principal reason is because “they are seldom sick.”
The hardest part is to get Hispanics to go to the doctor for the first time, said Sylvia Rangel, a community health worker who works with the Hispanic population in Chattanooga.
“Once they go and find a place they like, they generally continue to go,” she said.
Rogelina Garcia, a native of Mexico, said she doesn’t go to the doctor as often because of the language barrier and lack of money.
“Back in Mexico I would go often because the doctors spoke my language,” she said, speaking in Spanish. “Here, sometimes there’s not an interpreter available, and it is hard to explain what’s wrong.
“There’s also the factor of health insurance. It’s really expensive to go to the doctor and, if you don’t even have a job, how are you going to pay for medical care?” she asked.
About 42 percent of the Latinos who don’t have health insurance lack a usual health care provider, compared with 19 percent of the insured, the survey found.
Angela Mejias, certified nurse practitioner with the Southside and Dodson Avenue Community Health Centers, affiliates of the Erlanger health system, said immigration status also affects whether a person goes to the doctor.
“For the most part, if they are illegal immigrants, because of fear of immigration (authorities) they tend not to seek medical health,” she said. “They use home remedies (first).”
Although the number of Hispanic patients is increasing locally, the access to care for Hispanics continues to be limited, said Karen Guinn, primary care program manager with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department.
“What we know is that access to care for Hispanics is often minimal because all of our Hispanic clients are uninsured, so it can be difficult to pay for care,” she said.
Ms. Mejias said there’s a need for health care providers to reach out to the Hispanic community.
“Some of the Hispanic patients I’ve seen haven’t seen a medical provider for years, a lot of them since they left their country,” she said.
“Illegal immigration plays a role, but it is our pro-population growth legal immigration policies and the Hispanic birth rate that are the main causes for the increase in population.”
Not sure that’s true. Of course all those things are a factor, but it’s well known that illegal entries into the US across our southern border increased several fold after the passage of NAFTA, and the predicted effect of US farm exports on small Mexican farmers.
Remember, we legalized around 3 million illegals in 1987, and that was suppose to end that problem, along with increased enforcement that never happened. But since, the illegal population has mushroomed to 12 to 20 million, and that is the estimated ILLEGAL population that would not include citizens, or any Hispanic births within the US. Only illegal entrants and visa overstayers.
Did anyone bother to find out if this woman was legally allowed to be here? Or the other 27% - how many of those are legal citizens? And..for Pete's sake people...LEARN ENGLISH. If you care so much about your children and family, learn to speak the language so you can take care of them properly in this country and read and write English. It is our language!
I hate reports like these, they never qualify the numbers they use to try and elicit sympathy and support.
But it is true using real data from the Bureau of the Census.
100 Million More: Projecting the Impact of Immigration On the U.S. Population, 2007 to 2060
Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A profile of America's Foreign-Born Population
Pew Research Center: U.S. Population Projections: 2005–2050
Remember, we legalized around 3 million illegals in 1987, and that was suppose to end that problem, along with increased enforcement that never happened. But since, the illegal population has mushroomed to 12 to 20 million, and that is the estimated ILLEGAL population that would not include citizens, or any Hispanic births within the US. Only illegal entrants and visa overstayers.
I remember it quite well. Simpson-Mazzoli was passed in 1986. This was supposed to be a one-time amnesty and the USG estimated that 1 million would apply. The real number turned out to be 2.7 million. In order to be eligible for the amnesty, you had to have lived in the US for five years, i.e., prior to 1982. Document fraud was rampant. Despite the amnesty we now have 12 to 20 million illegals.
“But it is true using real data from the Bureau of the Census.”
I’m talking about the present Hispanic population in the US, not future projections. They are now about 14% of the total, or around 42 million. With 12 - 20 million illegals (and they are counted in the census, unless they evade it), it’s easy to see that 1/3 or more of the Hispanics in the US are illegal. That is an incredible impact of illegal immigration that 1/3 of an ethnic group would have come here illegally in the past 20 years, with the greatest influx since 1993.
Ok, Andres Ramirez, so you are both HOMELESS and ILLEGAL? You been here for 14 years and you are still living on the DOLE?
Similar to the general U.S. population, Hispanic males, the young and the less educated are less likely to have primary health care providers, according to the report,
Some of us don't want health insurance. I have it for my wife and kids, but I don't have it.
Rogelina Garcia, a native of Mexico, said she doesn’t go to the doctor as often because of the language barrier and lack of money. “Back in Mexico I would go often because the doctors spoke my language,” she said, speaking in Spanish. “Here, sometimes there’s not an interpreter available, and it is hard to explain what’s wrong.
I have a good suggestion, Ms. Garcia, either LEARN ENGLISH or go back to Mexico!!
“What we know is that access to care for Hispanics is often minimal because all of our Hispanic clients are uninsured, so it can be difficult to pay for care,” she said. Ms. Mejias said there’s a need for health care providers to reach out to the Hispanic community. “Some of the Hispanic patients I’ve seen haven’t seen a medical provider for years, a lot of them since they left their country,” she said.
If they don't like the health care here -- GO BACK TO MEXICO!
I couldn’t afford a health care provider for years either! The care is here FREE for them, it wasn’t for me, if they aren’t getting care it’s their own fault. Go back to Mexico if you don’t like it!
You don't seem to comprehend the data in the links I sent to you. Did you read them?
The dimensions of the Hispanic baby boom are startling. The Hispanic birthrate is twice as high as that of the rest of the American population. That high fertility rate—even more than unbounded levels of immigration—will fuel the rapid Hispanic population boom in the coming decades.
I’m talking about the present Hispanic population in the US, not future projections. They are now about 14% of the total, or around 42 million.
Three Possible Causes of Biggest U.S. Population Boom Ever
present Hispanic population in the US, not future projections. They are now about 14% of the total, or around 42 million.
According to official census estimated figures for 2007, there are 45,504,311 million Latino/Hispanics of all races, which equates to 15% based on a 2007 population of 301,621,157. The current estimated population of the US is 304,860,195 based on the Census bureau population clock, which estimates we gain one net migrant every 30 seconds and one net person every 10 seconds.
FOLLOW THE MONEY
Corporate and Government money injected into the health care industry has driven costs out of sight.
Before the advent of health care plans, health care insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, health care was reasonably priced.
Now it is just another big business.
HMO's, the pharmacuetical companies and others involved in organized health care concentrate on maximizing cash flow instead of maximizing affordable health care.
That is why they love government funded health care programs and health care insurance.
Notice that we always hear whining about people not having healthcare insurance as opposed to concern about reasonably priced health care.
If politicians gave a s... er, gave a darn about health care they would make all health care expenditures and health insurance premiums paid by the individual tax deductible.
The cost of employer paid health insurance is a tax deductible business expense and is not considered income to the employee.
But if you buy your own health insurance it is not deductible and you have to pay for it with your after tax earnings.
ping
???
“You don’t seem to comprehend the data in the links I sent to you. Did you read them?”
You don’t seem able to comprehend that I am talking about what has happened in the past 15 or 20 years, not projections into the future. My original statement involved what has happened since the Passage of NAFTA in 1993, and since implementation of Simpson-Mizzoli in 1987.
The 12 -20 million estimated illegal aliens (overwhelmingly Hispanic) make up about 1/3 of the Hispanics in the US, and they have largely entered the US in the past 15 to 20 years, and illegal aliens account for the biggest portion of the increase in Hispanics during those previous 15 to 20 years.
That’s all I’ve said, and it is correct.
From the west coast, as a kid I used to think of Tennessee as an all American, down home, Tom Sawyer type country scene...
All the stories about illegal aliens in Tennessee over the past 8 years or so, has nuked that old vision.
I am so sorry. Not.....
The increase in the Hispanic population of the US started with the 1965 Immigration Act, which changed the demography of this nation with the stroke of a pen. The 1965 Immigration Act: Anatomy of a Disaster At the time, the Hispanics/Latinos comprised 1% of the population.
In 1990, immigrants from the top sending country — Mexico — accounted for 22 percent of the total foreign born. By 2000, Mexican immigrants accounted for 30 percent of the total. 1980 Mexico, already the leading sending country, accounted for 16 percent of the foreign-born population. At the state level, Mexico was the largest sending country in 18 states in 1990; by 2000 it was the top sending country in 30 states. In 1990 there were 4.2 million Mexican-born residents of this country and in 2000, 9.2 million.
NAFTA was not the primary cause of this increase in population. Legal immigration annual ceilings were raised from 270,000 to 700,000 for 1992-94 and 675,000 afterwards (including 480,000 family-sponsored, 140,000 employment-based, and 55,000 "diversity" immigrants under the 1990 immimtgration act that was signed by Bush 41. Under chain migration, i.e., family reunification, this raises the number of legal immigrants up considerably. For example, if the 2007 McCain-Kennedy bill had passed, it would have allowed another 66 million legal immigrants to enter this country on top of the 12 million already here--using Robert Rector's numbers. If there are really 20 million, which I think there are, the number could be 100 million over a 20 year period, which is why amnesty will destroy this country with the stroke of a pen.
Timeline of selected US immigration legislation
The 12 -20 million estimated illegal aliens (overwhelmingly Hispanic) make up about 1/3 of the Hispanics in the US, and they have largely entered the US in the past 15 to 20 years, and illegal aliens account for the biggest portion of the increase in Hispanics during those previous 15 to 20 years.
I don't know what you mean by largely, but there is no doubt that the vast majority of illegals entered this country during the past 20 years. The 1986 amnesty was just 22 years ago. My point on the Hispanic population of this country is that legal immigration is playing a major role--about two-thirds of the 1.2 million legal immigrants that are admitted each year are Hispanic--and the fact that the Hispanic birth rate is about double the general population, especially among immigrants, is the reason why we went from 1% Hispanic to 15% today to 29% in 2050.
Net immigration has been increasing for five decades. Immigrants account for one in eight U.S. residents, the highest level in 80 years. In 1970 it was one in 21; in 1980 it was one in 16; and in 1990 it was one in 13. Overall, nearly one in three immigrants is an illegal alien. Half of Mexican and Central American immigrants and one-third of South American immigrants are illegal. Since 2000, 10.3 million immigrants have arrived — the highest seven-year period of immigration in U.S. history. More than half of post-2000 arrivals (5.6 million) are estimated to be illegal aliens.
What you have said is not correct. It is our legal immigration policies and the high birthrate among Hispanic immigrants that have driven up the population of Hispanics in this country, not NAFTA. Since 1970 the population of this country has increased by 100 million with more than two-thirds attributed to immigration, legal and illegal. It will increase another 167 million in the next 50 years with 105 million coming from immigration.
From your #52
“What you have said is not correct. It is our legal immigration policies and the high birthrate among Hispanic immigrants that have driven up the population of Hispanics in this country, not NAFTA.”
My first comment on this thread, #21
“And what is it that happened exactly fifteen years ago? NAFTA did exactly what opponents said it would do. But its advocates said it would DECREASE illegal immigration. And those same folks are advocating more “free trade” agreements, using the same old lies.”
That statement is 100% correct. You responded to it by going off on all sorts of tangents and getting into future population growth. You have presented a lot of good information which I am familiar with, but it did not really relate to what I said originally, or in later posts.
You haven’t refuted anything because there was nothing to refute. You are just intent on presenting your facts, even when they didn’t really relate to what I’ve said.
But your response was keyed to the following statement that you highlighted: “The Hispanic population in the United States has more than doubled in the past 15 years”
NAFTA is not the reason why the Hispanic population has doubled in the past 15 years. I provided you with the reasons why.
You haven’t refuted anything because there was nothing to refute. You are just intent on presenting your facts, even when they didn’t really relate to what I’ve said.
I am trying to educate you on the subject. I am an activist with a local grassroots organization that deals with immigration issues. I have been lobbying on the Hill for several years on this issue. Based on your statements, you have an inflated idea as to how much you know about the subject.
“I am trying to educate you on the subject. I am an activist with a local grassroots organization that deals with immigration issues. I have been lobbying on the Hill for several years on this issue.”
You are looking too hard for an opportunity to disagree with someone. And again, you’ve refuted nothing because there was nothing refute. You are implying meaning in what I said that was not there.
And you are not educating me. You provided some very good information, but nothing I haven’t seen before. I was a dues paying member of FAIR for several years in the early ‘90s, and have kept up with this issue since Simpson-Mizzoli.
And I appreciate any work you are doing in Washington on this issue, as I consider it, actually, the most important issue facing the US. It’s a pity the Republicans ended up with a sort of default candidate from a field of four or five who split the votes in too many states.
It is Simpson-Mazzoli otherwise know as the "Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986". "8 USC 1101 note"
And you are not educating me. You provided some very good information, but nothing I haven’t seen before.
As I said, you have an inflated idea of your knowledge of the subject.
“As I said, you have an inflated idea of your knowledge of the subject.”
Lol, talk about an inflated idea of their knowledge!
You really need to learn to respond to what someone actually says, rather than using a statement as the launching pad for all sorts of responses and claims only tangentially related to the original statement.
Or, just make an original comment and say whatever you care to say.
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