Thread: NEW YORK NEW YORK: Health care dilemma

http://www.nationnews.com/editorial/287938249558135.php

NEW YORK NEW YORK: Health care dilemma
Published on: 6/9/06.


BY TONY BEST


MARY, a Bajan working mother, who has been living in New York City for a decade has a serious problem. Actually, she has several problems.

At the top of the list is her diabetes and hypertension. Next is the fact that she is an undocumented immigrant and worries about being arrested and deported.

As if those weren't bad enough, her two jobs don't provide any health insurance and she is too strapped for cash to be able to buy private insurance.

If she were in Barbados, access to health care wouldn't be an issue. A trip to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital or a polyclinic would be sufficient. It's on such occasions that she misses Barbados.

So, how does she manage her chronic diseases?

First, she stays away from the City's public hospitals as much as she can because she fears an employee would ask about her immigration status and if she divulged it she would soon be arrested and deported.

Only when her condition reaches the breaking point would she feel compelled to scrape up enough money to go to a private doctor.


Not alone

But she isn't alone. Such stories are commonplace these days in the West Indian community in the five boroughs of New York.

They are the tales of woe about immigrants who need urgent medical attention but are forced because of pain and suffering to go to the emergency rooms of New York City hospitals at the last minute in order to avoid death. Some decide to endure considerable pain, often risking their own lives, all because of fear of being caught or deported or both.

Stated simply, the foreign-born residents of our fair city, or is it "fear City" are too worried about being caught by federal authorities or being prevented from sponsoring their families to turn to the health care professionals at city-owned hospitals for the attention they so urgently need.

"It's not good for people's health to be so fearful about seeking services," said Yvonne Graham, a West Indian who is a Brooklyn deputy borough president.

That's why the Health and Hospital's Corporation (HHC) has decided to try to eliminate that fear in a sensible way.

In a letter in 11 languages, Alan Aviles, HHC president, told the agency's 39 000 employees that they have a legal obligation to maintain the confidentiality of the information given to them by immigrants, even if they are in the country illegally. Failure to comply could cost them their jobs, Aviles warned.

The action taken by HHC is timely and very important.


Pervasive nature

Immigrant advocacy organisations have been advising HHC about the pervasive nature of the fear of immigrants about the communications link between local, state and federal government agencies. Ever since 9/11 and the enactment of the provisions of the Patriot Act, Americans have had good reason to worry about Big Brother looking over everyone's shoulder and listening in on people's conversations.

So, if the federal government is trying to find out about people's reading materials and tapping their telephones, it is only natural that foreign-born residents, many of them in the country illegally, would be fearful about their health information and status falling into the hands of the Department of Homeland Security.

Now HHC is being forced to assure the public that its employees must "keep confidential all information regarding your immigration status".

Aviles is going around to most, if not all of the City hospitals addressing employees about the demand for confidentiality because without it, too many people would be at risk. Some would die.

This is a very serious matter because Bajans and others have come close to dying because of it.

So, the HHC has taken the proverbial bull by the horns and is offering the public assurances of confidentiality. Although we applaud that aggressive step, another one is required: the threat of prosecution of any city employee who disregards what is city law by disclosing people's immigration status.

That brings us back to Mary. Thousands of Barbadians are in a similar predicament, so worried about their immigration status that they are neglecting their health.

In the end, it comes to a question of trust, which doctors and other health care professionals in and out New York, Barbados, Miami and other places would be quick to tell you is vital to the provision of services.

The trust begins with maintaining confidentiality and that's what the HHC is trying to get across to its employees and the patients who turn to its facilities for care.

So why don't they go to Barbados?