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 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.

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