Hispanic Leader on "Conversations on Health Care" This Week

Dr. Elena V. Rios, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association, tells “Conversations on Health Care” that more people in her community need to understand that immigration enforcement is staying clear of vaccination sites.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have stated they “will not conduct enforcement operations at or near vaccine distribution sites or clinics.” However, a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found at least 50% of Hispanics are unaware that all adults are eligible regardless of immigration status and that the vaccines are free for all U.S. residents. “It’s very important that more people know about it,” Rios says.

“Conversations on Health Care” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter, who run Community Health Care, Inc. (CHC) in Connecticut, praised Rio for her leadership and highlighted CHC efforts to reach even more Hispanics with these messages.

Rios’ organization represents 50,000 Hispanic physicians in the United States; studies have shown that working-age Hispanics are disproportionately represented in COVID-19 deaths.

“The most important problem for undocumented is that there are very few access points to health care. One is through community health centers that are supported to take care of anyone who walks in their doors and the other is the emergency room and doctors who provide charity care,” says Rios.

Rios also praised California’s efforts to expand state Medicaid funding to serve undocumented people.

The Rios interview is online at www.chcradio.com and can be heard on “Conversations on Health Care” this Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. on WFED (1500 AM), the Federal News Network in Washington, D.C.; at www.federalnewsnetwork.com; and on the PodcastOne digital network.