Latinos’ Health Care Problems Decried

Officials of a national Latino medical organization said Monday that the lack of health insurance and the inferior quality of care continue to plague Latinos in the U.S.

The National Hispanic Medical Assn. held a briefing in Los Angeles to call attention to new research by a health advocacy foundation. The group’s briefing summarized the findings of New York-based Commonwealth Fund, which conducts research to support increased access to medical insurance and collected its findings through phone interviews with Latinos throughout the country.

The report said language barriers are often responsible for poor health care for Latinos. Monday’s briefing also showcased culturally sensitive programs operating at L.A. clinics and hospitals that, among other things, provide treatment for Latinos by people who speak their own language.