Worcester Business Journal

34 Worcester Business Journal | September 13, 2021 | wbjournal.com N ow at more than 20% of the city's population, Worcester's immigrant community has grown exponentially over the last decade, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but holes in health insurance coverage are causing major disparities, as well as a growing burden on Central Massachusetts healthcare providers. In the state of Massachusetts, 30,000 children and young adults under 21 are ineligible for comprehensive health coverage because of their immigration status, according to Boston nonprofit Health Care For All Massachusetts. More than 1,600 of those kids also Immigrant health have disabilities. "Even though Massachusetts was one of the first to create safety net programs that cover undocumented kids, other states have actually gone further and included them in their comprehensive Medicaid programs," said Suzanne Curry, behavioral health policy director at the state's HCFA chapter. MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program, covers 340,000 non-citizens, according to the agency. is includes programs covering pregnant mothers with incomes under 200% of the federal poverty line and non- citizens with permanent resident status. Still, many individuals do not meet the specific criteria of MassHealth programs, said Curry. Undocumented children in the state rely on what Curry refers to as cobbled together safety net programs, which include an amalgamation of federally qualified preventative health centers and payment services for acute care. Holes in health insurance coverage for Worcester's immigrant population weighs heavy on healthcare providers BY KATHERINE HAMILTON Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer F O C U S D I V E R S I T Y & I N C L U S I O N Uninsured adults 50% 24% 20% Medicaid/other public insurance - adults 12% 9% 8% Employer/other private insurance - adults 11% 6% 3% Uninsured children 27% 15% 9% Medicaid/other public insurance - children 4% 2% 1% Employer/other private insurance - children 2% 1% 1% Have no regular Postponed seeking Went without needed source of care care due to cost care due to cost Health impact from lack of insurance In this 2017 survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation, these barriers to health care arose among nonelderly adults and children, broken down by insurance status. Source: Kaisier Family Foundation Suzanne Curry, HCFA behavorial health policy director UMass Memorial writes off roughly $100 million a year treating un- insured patients. PHOTO/COURTESY OF UMASS MEMORIAL HEALTH

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