Medical Insurance for Immigrants?

INSURANCE FOR IMMIGRANTS?

International Medical Insurance isn't an imaginary wish for those crossing the border, those having to go to the emergency for a cough or a minor cut, or those in labor with no choice but to risk a hospital stay.

Insurance Service of American is a company who offers this insurance to students going abroad and immigrants coming to the US for a period of time- is this the answer the US is looking for when it comes to immigrant medical care.

According to Insurance Service of America, those immigrating to the US should look into Citizen Secure. Citizen Secure is an insurance policy "for Non-US Citizens residing or immigrating to the USA". The plan reads "Our best $5,000,000, major medical plan specifically designed for immigrants and permanent residents seeking long term coverage. This plan features maternity, freedom to choose any doctor or optional PPO, wellness and well child care benefits, and family rates. More affordable than most domestic individual plans and it's available in all 50 states."

The question is, how can these policies work and will they help the US out of debt when it comes to medical services immigrants need when arriving to the US.

COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS

The most common health problems immigrants can be found at http://www3.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/hispanic_health.htm

*Difficulty in accessing and utilizing the healthcare system may be viewed as both a singular health problem and a highly significant etiology in or contributor to other health problems. Factors contributing to difficulty accessing services include language barriers, low rate of medical insurance coverage, low incomes, and limited knowledge of health services (Chavez, Hubbell, & Mishra, 1999).
*Diabetes is about twice as common among Hispanics as among Anglos.
*Obesity is more common among Hispanics (especially women) than in the general population.
*Latinas with breast cancer tend to have larger tumors and/or metastatic disease than do Anglo women.
*Causes of death nationally among Hispanics are (in decreasing order) heart disease, cancer, injuries, stroke, homicide, liver disease, pneumonia/influenza, diabetes, HIV infection, and perinatal conditions (Spector, 1996).

How is health insurance going to help immigrants with these health problems when most of them are self inflicted? A policy like the one above seems unrealistic, yet a health fantasy for many coming to the US for a better oppurtunity.