Access

Access must entail the principle of affordable, universal health care coverage for all Americans, and address cultural and linguistic barriers to care. Therefore, the NCAPIP believes that:

  1. Every patient should receive care that is unencumbered by cultural and language barriers. There must be appropriate provisions and funding to support services as stipulated by Cultural and Linguistic Access Standards (CLAS), and adequate federal reimbursement for medical interpretation and translation services.
  2. Immigrants should be provided expanded access to affordable and accessible health coverage.
  3. AA and NHPI patients, as all Americans, should have access to a patient centered medical home, which should incorporate principles of cultural competence and linguistic access.
  4. Pacific Islanders (citizens and residents of the Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. jurisdictions of American Samoa and Guam) face particular barriers related to the terms of the Compact of Free Association and territorial administration. These policies should be reformed to provide expanded access to high quality and affordable care to all residents and citizens of the Pacific jurisdictions and nations.