Health Coverage and Access to Care for Hispanics in New Growth Communities and Major Hispanic Centers

Research Report
Sept. 21, 2006
Peter J. Cunningham, Michelle I. Banker, Samantha Artiga, Jennifer Tolbert

A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured finds that as the Hispanic population grows and moves beyond urban centers, Hispanics in "new growth communities" face greater barriers to health care than those in cities considered "major Hispanic centers."

By 2003, the uninsured rate for Hispanics in new growth communities rose to a level equal to that of Hispanics in major centers. However, less than half (43%) of the Hispanic population in new growth communities live within five miles of a community health center compared to 71% of the population in major centers. Additionally, only half of the new growth community Hispanics live within 10 miles of a safety-net hospital compared to 82% of Hispanics in major centers.

An audio interview of Peter Cunningham with Kaiser's Jackie Judd is available here.

A free copy of this article is available at the Kaiser Family Foundation Web site by clicking here.