Panel Discusses Health Care for Undocumented Immigrant Children

solomon-health-care-for-undocumented-children.jpg

The Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy hosted a panel discussion on access to health care for undocumented immigrant children on April 1, 2019. The panel was cosponsored by the Black Law Students Association (BLSA), Latinx Law Students Association (LLSA), and Yale Health Law and Policy Society (YHeLPS) and featured Jay Sicklick, Deputy Director at Connecticut Center for Children’s Advocacy; Dr. Marietta Vazquez, Associate Professor of Pediatrics & Pediatric Infections Diseases Specialist at Yale School of Medicine and Director, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital Hispanic Clinic; and Dr. Julia Rosenberg, Pediatrician at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital and Fellow in the Yale School of Medicine National Clinician Scholars Program. The discussion was moderated by Eni Kassim ’20.

Dr. Vazquez and Dr. Rosenberg described their work with immigrant patient populations, and how changes in immigration patterns in the United States have affected their practice in New Haven. They both described obstacles their patients face in receiving care including lack of insurance coverage, fear of reporting or documentation of immigration status in medical records. Dr. Vazquez also highlighted the importance of exchange and dialogue between lawyers, policy makers, and physicians, and that she was pleased to know that law students are interested in the issues affecting her patients.

Both Dr. Vazquez and Dr. Rosenberg work closely with the Center for Children’s Advocacy through its Medical Legal Partnership at Yale New Haven Hospital and with Sicklick and his team on advocacy initiatives, including recent legislation proposed in Connecticut.

Sicklick described the legislation pending in the Connecticut General Assembly, Senate Bill 1053, that proposes to provide Medicaid insurance coverage for undocumented immigrant children in the state of Connecticut. On April 1, 2019, the bill was referred to the Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis. Kassim spoke to some concerns regarding the cost of the bill. He has been part of the team working with Sicklick on SB 1053 through the Yale Law School Child Policy Lab. In his work he evaluated data and spoke with advocates in other states that have expanded their health care safety net to this patient population.

Students in attendance asked the panel about the cost of the bill and if there is a funding mechanism included. Sicklick responded that there is not, but that the bill will be analyzed in coming weeks. They also inquired about HIPAA and privacy protections for undocumented patients.