The symposium brought together health care providers, politicians, and business leaders to discuss the current problems facing uninsured Latinos and suggest solutions. Latinos make up 26 percent of Chicago's under 65 population, but they account for 43 percent of the city's uninsured. Between 1997 and 1998, the number of uninsured people in greater-Chicago increased by 30 percent. The symposium highlighted the fact that 15 percent of Illinois' population lacks insurance. Yet 8 out of 10 of these people come from working families.
Individual insurance is prohibitively expensive.
Cultural and linguistic barriers exist both in interactions with physicians and the paperwork required for public assistance. Latinos are concerned about being labeled a public charge if they use public assistance. Examine creative solutions from insurance companies such as offering more affordable packages that focus on preventive care. Train more Spanish-speaking physicians and encourage the use of translators at physician offices. In these prosperous times, we must make sure no American suffers or dies needlessly due to a lack of access to health care.