This report from the National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP) analyzes 2013 American Community Survey data on select social determinants (health insurance coverage, language, nativity, education, economic status) that impact on the participation and enrollment in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for Asian Americans, with a focus on Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Pakistani, and Vietnamese Americans. The report also reviews and catalogues in-language resources on the ACA that are available to these six Asian American ethnic groups from federal, state, private, and community organizations.
Based on the report’s findings, NCAPIP makes the following policy recommendations to improve access to care, especially through future outreach and enrollment efforts under the ACA:
- Recognize and address the large health insurance related disparities that exist among limited English proficient, less educated, low income, and immigrant Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
- Support more in-language and bilingual resource development to facilitate health communication for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
- Make disaggregated enrollment data available to improve data monitoring for access to care for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
Ignatius Bau 