English Proficiency and Access to Health Insurance in Hispanics Who Are Elderly: Implications for Adequate Health Care

Medicare, as a publicly funded insurance program, has produced significant improvement in the overall health of America’s elderly populations. However, health disparities still persist between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White populations in terms of overall access to health services. This study utilized data from the Hispanic Established Population for Epidemiological Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE) survey (1993 to 1994), to compare the relationship between levels of English proficiency and access to Medicare and other health insurance among 3,050 Hispanics who were elderly. Results of chi-square tests of independence indicated a significant relationship (p = .001) between respondents’ levels of English proficiency and access to Medicare and other health insurance. Implications regarding the impact of limited English proficiency on access to adequate health care for Hispanics who are elderly are discussed.