Medicaid is so important to Latinas. who have the highest rate of uninsurance. 37 percent. of any racial and ethnic minority group. Approximately 12 percent of lowincome Latinas rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage. Even Latinas who are legal immigrants. who are here legally. find barriers to health care access. Since 1996. legal immigrants have been barred from receiving Medicaid coverage for the first 5 years of their residency unless the State they reside in specifically covers them through State funds. In our State of California. we have been able to do that. This is a 5year period in which these women and men who legally emigrated to the United States are denied regular health care and screenings for diseases that plague communities of color. like cancer. diabetes. HIV and AIDS. Without health insurance. many Latinas are forced to delay or forego their health care coverage all together.
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emigrated immigrants