Team,

We are reaching out to bring an urgent issue to your attention: Our health care
system is consistently failing millions of people across the country, many of
whom are immigrants whose primary language is not English.

Millions of people in the United States face significant barriers in accessing
proper health care due to language disparities, leading to misdiagnoses,
unnecessary care, and poor health outcomes.

Our recent report
[[link removed]] sheds light on the profound impact that a lack of adequate language access has
on the lives of immigrants and their families. Here are just a few of the key
findings and real-life stories:

* During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals with limited English proficiency
(LEP) were three times more likely to test positive for the virus, and hospitalized
patients were 35% more likely to suffer serious health outcomes compared to
English speakers.
*
* In an Ohio Medical center in 2015, a Bhutanese woman was being prepared for
surgery. Due to a language barrier, the interpreter, who did not speak her
dialect, used the word "surgery," which for her, meant "funeral." This
misunderstanding caused her considerable fear and confusion.
*As shared by Sudarshan Pyakurel, Executive Director of Bhutanese Community
of Central Ohio
*
* In New York, a Congolese elder was diagnosed with high blood pressure but
couldn't understand his treatment plan due to inadequate interpretation. As a
result, he suffered complications and had to be hospitalized.
*As shared by Regine Ndanga, LMSW of the Partnership for the Public Good in
Buffalo, New York

Civil rights laws have long required access to information in a person's primary
language, but poor enforcement, inadequate funding, and discrimination have left
the well-being of millions of people at risk.

It's past time to address these disparities and make health care more accessible
to everyone — regardless of the language we speak. Just last week,
Representative Young Kim (R-CA) and Representative Grace Meng (D-NY) introduced
the bipartisan Health Communication Access and Resources for Everyone (Health CARE) Act (H.R. 5762) to begin to tackle these challenges.

This bill would address barriers that many people face in accessing information
in their language, whether they are trying to read letters from their insurance
company or navigate their hospital’s website. It would establish a universal language access symbol to guide people to phone numbers for interpreters or translated materials. That's why we strongly urge Congress to pass this bill, and we invite you to
join us in our call to action.

Please, urge Congress to help millions of immigrant
families in the United States access information about the health care they need
to thrive. By taking this critical first step and passing the Health CARE Act ,
we can work together to create a more equitable healthcare system that serves
all members of our diverse community.
[[link removed]]

URGE CONGRESS TO PASS THE HEALTH CARE ACT
[[link removed]]Thank you for your continued support,

Ben D’Avanzo
Senior Strategist, Health Advocacy
National Immigration Law Center

Chiraayu Gosrani
Legal Fellow
National Immigration Law Center

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