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A message from the CEO
As the COVID-19 virus dominates both the news cycle and the health care field, in our practice we are seeing the beginnings of a different kind of health crisis.
Both here and across the country, immigrant patients have virtually stopped seeking medical care — because of a new Public Charge Rule that penalizes their ability to gain citizenship if they’ve accepted any form of public support. This means not only are members of our immigrant community wary of seeking care for routine pediatric immunizations, chronic disease care, or behavioral health visits, they may also be risking their lives, battling severe COVID-19 at home.
Our Board of Directors has voted to temporarily suspend charges for the health care visits of most uninsured patients, making it possible for our patients who feel trapped by the Public Charge Rule restrictions to seek care with us. We are doing our best to get the word out to this vulnerable community, through staff contacts, community partners, and the press, but COVID-19 has strained everyone’s resources… and the bigger problem remains.
As a country, we need to do better.
If you are interested in my perspective on this challenge, I invite you to read my editorial which appeared in the CT Mirror, by clicking here.
We are a community that supports one another. We are a nation that cares. We need to show that we do, without discrimination.
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