3.7 MILLION SPANISH SPEAKERS IN U.S. ARE WITHOUT INSURANCE
NEW RESOURCE WILL HELP THEM NAVIGATE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACES
Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) and a group of 18 partnering cancer and patient advocacy organizations released today a Spanish language version of the Cancer Insurance Checklist, a resource originally launched in September 2013 to help people who have cancer, a history of cancer or are at risk for cancer choose insurance plans in the new state-based health insurance marketplaces that opened on October 1, 2013.
The Cancer Insurance Checklist: Guía de Cobertura Médica para Personas con Cáncer guides Spanish-speaking consumers to review the coverage within each insurance plan they are considering, including coverage for services provided by their health care team, where care is delivered, medications and various common cancer treatments and services they may need. The Checklist also provides a worksheet to help the consumer detail the costs associated with each plan. The Checklist is designed to be used while evaluating insurance plans and also when discussing them with a navigator or health care provider.
Nearly a third (31.1%) of Hispanics and Latinos under age 65 in the U.S. do not have health insurance, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) CDC Advance Dada Number 368. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 10.2 million Hispanics and Latinos are eligible for coverage under the health insurance exchanges, 3.7 million of whom speak Spanish as their primary language.
"We were honored to be included in such a prestigious group of organizations to address the language barriers that can often create frustrating situations and challenges for people who speak Spanish,” said LBBC CEO Jean A. Sachs, MSS, MLSP. “This new tool to help them navigate health insurance marketplaces will prove invaluable.”
People with cancer concerns can download and print the Cancer Insurance Checklist: Guía de Cobertura Médica para Personas con Cáncer free of charge by visiting SegurosMedicosYCancer.org. There, they will also find a comprehensive list of additional resources including a full glossary of terms relevant to insurance coverage decisions.
In addition to the Cancer Insurance Checklist, the LBBC Helpline at (888) 753-5222 is available for telephone support in Spanish during the cancer experience.
The Cancer Insurance Checklist was created through a partnership of the following organizations: The Assistance Fund, Association of Community Cancer Centers, Avalere Health, Cancer Support Community, Chronic Disease Fund, Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation, International Myeloma Foundation, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer Alliance, Melanoma Research Foundation, Men’s Health Network, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, National Patient Advocate Foundation, Oncology Nursing Society, Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, Patient Advocate Foundation, Patient Services, Inc. and Prevent Cancer Foundation. Production and translation costs for the Cancer Insurance Checklist were supported by a grant from Novartis Oncology.
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