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On October 16, ABC’s hit medical drama Grey’s Anatomy tugged at our heart strings and brought to light for 10 million viewers the reality of many undocumented families who suffer because of lack of access to affordable health coverage. The episode chronicles the story of 10-year old undocumented Nadia who nearly dies from a massive tumor, while her mother, who is also undocumented, is nearly reported to Child Protective Services for not seeking medical assistance sooner.
Nadia is not just a plot on a television show – she represents the millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States who are denied access to preventive care because of their immigration status. In California, over 1.4 million undocumented do not have access to routine and preventive services or treatments that can help manage or cure illnesses.
Undocumented Californians are part of the fabric of our society – they are our neighbors, family, friends, colleagues, students and peers. They are Californians – and a key part of our workforce and economy. They contribute more than $130 billion to California’s GDP. A UCLA study found that if all undocumented Californians were removed from the state, California would lose 3.6 million jobs and its economy would shrink by $302 billion.
Uninsured adults are more likely to visit the emergency room than adults with health coverage. Avoidable visits to the emergency room range as high as 56 percent of all visits, and overuse of emergency rooms is responsible for up to $38 billion in spending in the United States every year.
But there’s still hope – the times are changing. In a recent poll, 70% of young voters and communities of color—the future of California—expressed their support for extending access to affordable coverage to undocumented Californians. Even voters across the board, including conservatives, recognize that it’s the right thing to do.
We want to thank Shonda Rhimes for giving #Health4All such an important platform. Join us!
Sincerely,
Daniel Zingale
Senior Vice President, Healthy California
The California Endowment
#Health4All
www.health4all.net |
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