Immigration Reform and Public Health: Health Dialogues

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About Health Dialogues

Health Dialogues is a special series from KQED's "The California Report" that facilitates an ongoing discussion of California health care issues that are important to the underserved: children, low-income residents, minorities, and people with disabilities to name just a few.

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Immigration Reform and Public Health

Immigration reform is in the air once again - with President Obama saying the issue will be tackled next year. Join Health Dialogues as we look at what it's like for undocumented and seasonal workers to get health care under the current system, and how immigration reform could change things.

The Latest on Legislation

Host Scott Shafer gets an overview of upcoming legislation in Washington that relates to immigration reform. Guest: Dena Bunis, Washington bureau chief, Orange County Register.

Music Bridge 1: "Love Undisputed" by Money Mark, from the CD "Keep It Unreal" (Ninja Tune)

Swine Flu Vaccination

Health Dialogues pays a visit to Napa's Clinic Ole, a community clinic serving the valley's large farming population, where an early H1N1 flu vaccination is available to people without health insurance.

Flu Vaccinations for the Uninsured: See photos from Health Dialogues' trip to Clinic Ole, in Napa.

Music Bridge 2: "Hotel Aurora" by Tin Hat Trio, from the CD "Book of Silk" (Artemis)

Undocumented and Afraid

A first-person account from a woman who hesitated to seek health care because of her immigration status. [Note: due to the personal nature of this story, the subject asked that we protect her identity.]

Music Bridge 3: "Celia" by Bruce Hornsby/Christian McBride/Jack DeJohnette, from the CD "Camp Meeting" (Legacy/Sony)

Can We Really Offer Health Care to Everyone?

Host Scott Shafer explores the practical and perceived hurdles in providing health care to everyone, including undocumented immigrants. Guest: David Hayes-Bautista, professor of medicine, and director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA. Guest: Gail Wilensky, senior fellow at Project HOPE, an international health education foundation.

Immigrant Health Data: View our interactive charts exploring health access statistics for immigrants, based on how long they have been in the United States. According to the data, immigrants who have been here for more than twenty years are most likely to see a doctor, yet are least likely to have a usual source for health care.

Music Bridge 4: "Wahoo" by Duke Pearson, from the CD "Blue 'N' Groovy Volume 2: Mostly Modal" (Blue Note)

Health Care for Farm Workers

Host Scott Shafer digs deeper into the issue of providing health care for California's farm workers. Guest: Joel Diringer, health policy expert and author of a new report, "Health Care For California's Farm Workers".

More: "Health Care for California's Farm Workers"[PDF]

Music Bridge 5: "George Russell" by Alan Pasqua, from the CD "The Anti Social Club" (Cryptogramophone)

Ventanillas de Salud

Take a trip to the Mexican Consulate in Fresno, where a health outreach program run by the Mexican government serves Spanish-speaking immigrants in this country. Reporter: Zaidee Stavely

End Music: "Fat Mama" by Herbie Hancock, from the CD "Mwandishi: The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings" (Warner Bros.)

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