Connecting with the healthconnector: experiences of Massachusetts Latinx patients with subsidized healthcare

Abstract

While rates of uninsured have dropped in the United States, The Latinx population continues to suffer from the highest proportion of the uninsured (KFF 2016). Obstacles persist for Latinos/Latinas, even though health coverage appears to be at its peak. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the experiences of Latinx in the Greater Boston Area, who are eligible under the Affordable Care Act and/or state-subsidized health care. The focus of this investigation is the subsidized health plan enrollment process and health care experiences of those who are eligible and interested in enrolling. This includes obstacles to signing up for health plans offered on the state health care exchange, Latinx perceptions of and their experiences with the ACA and the HealthConnector, and how subsidized health care influences their perceptions surrounding access to care. To capture a more accurate image of the Latinx experiences with state-subsidized healthcare, this paper also explores the 2017 political climate, the proposal of Trumpcare, and the effects of the proposed healthcare reform on a vulnerable population.