The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) submits this written testimony for the record for the February 1, 2017 hearing before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce entitled “Strengthening Medicaid and Prioritizing the Most Vulnerable.” APIAHF is a national health justice organization that influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of the over 20 million Asian Americans and nearly 1 million Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AAs and NHPIs) in the United States. For over 30 years, APIAHF has worked at the federal, state, and local levels to advance sensible policies that reduce health disparities and promote health equity.
Congress is debating the importance of ensuring that Medicaid is available to our most vulnerable. Medicaid represents a vital piece of our country’s health care system and is the sole source of health insurance for many AAs and NHPIs. Since 1965, it has served as the safety net for those in need of help, including persons with disabilities, those in poverty and older Americans. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded Medicaid to cover poor, childless adults for the first time. In this testimony, APIAHF describes the importance of Medicaid to AA & NHPI communities, the value of the program and the current access immigrant populations have to Medicaid.
To read the full testimony, please download the pdf. to your right