7.2 Unimpeded Access to Health Care Services
Boston boasts an extensive network of community health centers offering free and excellent primary care in most Boston neighborhoods. Many factors affect access to health care, however, including health insurance coverage, literacy, language and cultural sensitivity, immigration status, and even transportation.
In a city growing largely through immigration, language and cultural factors can limit access to health care. According to the 2000 Census, for example, approximately 36% of all students in the Boston Public Schools spoke a primary language that was not English (up from 30% in 1989).
Spending on health care by individuals, businesses, the City of Boston and the Commonwealth has been increasing dramatically. The average total cost for individual health coverage in Massachusetts in 2006 was $9,428—an increase of 8.2% over 2005 compared to 6.1% nationally—according to a survey of employers by Mercer Health & Benefits. With rising health care costs combining with the high cost of living in Boston—driven largely by housing and energy costs, in addition to health care costs—for too many, health care costs are crowding out spending on other priorities.
|