PIHP continues to partner with other small NHPI community agencies to provide the critical support for many NHPI clients navigating the fragmented, hostile medical services available. One of the elder leaders in the Marshallese community is experiencing a medical crisis at a premiere medical center in Orange County, CA. The center does not have any Marshallese translators on staff to help provide services, inform consent, advance directive, or critical medical information.

Before health care reform, I was on Nationwide insurance with a $5000 deductible. I had open heart surgery and the bill was $54,000. The insurance company canceled my policy because my bills were too high. I had to self-pay for all follow up doctors' visits, other lab and x-rays, and medicine. In 2008, my business went under and I could not afford insurance. I have been uninsured ever since.

Health care reform is important to me because I was unable to afford insurance and now I can get health insurance.

Before health care reform, my problem regarding health insurance or healthcare access is the language barrier. Since English is not my first language, it has been difficult for me to understand the American healthcare system. Thus, I have trouble navigating through it. There are also times where I am unable to describe my symptoms in English because I either do not know the English equivalent or there is no English word to describe a Japanese word.

Before health care reform, I had to pay for I had to pay for private insurance which was a huge part of my already miniscule income as a graduate student. Regardless of coverage, it was extremely minimal and I often delayed or cancelled appointments that were crucial for preventative care.

Health care reform is important to me because children could be covered on their parents’ insurance until the age of 26. I was thrilled and no longer had the constant worry of how to pay for my insurance on top of how I would pay for my schooling and living costs.

Before health care reform, I worked as a graduate assistant and the university provided me with health insurance so I could go to the school clinic for free. However, the insurance did not cover vision or dental. One time I had a serious toothache and I went to the school clinic and the only thing they could do was give me some painkiller and refer me to the school dentist, whom I saw after a week of waiting. Then the school dentist took a $100 or so for X-ray and recommended a root-canal surgery, but again they could only refer me to a bigger clinic for the surgery.

Before health care reform, I was not provided with adequate language access. My name is Tot ‘Sy’ Tran and I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. I moved to this area in 1975 and have lived here since, enduring disasters like Hurricane Katrina and more recently, the Deepwater Horizon BP oil drilling disaster.

I feel my quality of care in the health settings is diminished due to the lack of competent language accessibility. There are no available interpreters or translated materials in Vietnamese for me.

For Immediate Release February 17, 2012

**Washington, D.C. ** – Today the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), on behalf of 39 community-based organizations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, filed a historic amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The brief – APIAHF’s first appearance before the U.S.

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Lori Villarosa is the executive director and founder of the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE), www.racialequity.org, a multiyear project intended to increase the amount and effectiveness of resources aimed at combating institutional and structural racism.

Ms. Villarosa has been in philanthropy for more than 20 years. Prior to launching PRE in 2003, she was a program officer with the Flint-based C. S. Mott Foundation. She was instrumental in developing the Foundation's U.S.

For Immediate Release
February 15, 2012

Washington, D.C. – On Monday, February 13th, President Obama released his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2013, which aims to reduce the national deficit and put the country on a path toward fiscal sustainability.

The budget includes targeted investments designed to fully implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and address the disproportionate effect HIV/AIDS has on communities of color.

Before health care reform, I had a client who was not able to afford health coverage and was able to get Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program) coverage once she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but only for 18 months. My client is a home caregiver and developed breast cancer without any medical or financial resources. She requested support and referral from Pacific Islander Health Partnership. She completed a full diagnostic evaluation (with financial support from her children for initial workup) and received full chemotherapy once a tissue diagnosis was made.