FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rita Yoon (323) 644-3880 ext. 273 MANY ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER IMMIGRANTS UNAWARE OF HEALTH CARE RIGHTS LOS ANGELES - Many Asian and Pacific Islander (APIs) immigrants are unaware of their rights to enroll in public health programs, such as Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Food Stamps. This may be due to the misconception that accessing these health care benefits will affect their immigration status. According to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), accessing Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, Food Stamps, and other non-cash public health benefits will not have an effect on immigration status, including the status of aliens who are applying for green cards and aliens who already have green cards. However, accessing long-term care with government funds, such as residing in a nursing home, may affect immigration status. "Impeded by language and cultural barriers, the API community at large is unaware of the possible health benefits their families might be eligible to receive," said Yunkyung Kim, Maternal and Child Health Associate Manager at Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc., a nonprofit community health center in Los Angeles. "This usually places them at great risk if any severe health crises should arise or if their households have small children." A recent study by the UCLA Center of Health Policy Research revealed some alarming disparities in health coverage across ethnic and racial lines. According to the study, more than 20 percent of APIs lack health insurance coverage in California, compared to 13 percent of whites. Medi-Cal is a public health program that provides free or low-cost health care coverage for low-income families and people with disabilities, including visits to doctors and hospitals, medicine, and shots. The Healthy Families Program provides low-cost health insurance coverage for families with incomes that are too high to qualify for free Medi-Cal. Food Stamps is a government nutrition program that provides food coupons for people with low incomes. For enrollment assistance into these public health programs, contact Damaso Uy at (323) 644-3880 ext. 268. For questions about your eligibility for these public health programs, call 1-800-815-5005.