Objectives. We compared health insurance status transitions of nonimmigrants
and immigrants.
Methods. We used multivariate survival analysis to examine gaining and losing
insurance by citizenship and legal status among adults with the Los Angeles
Family and Neighborhood Survey.
Results. We found significant differences by citizenship and legal status in
health insurance transitions. Undocumented immigrants were less likely to gain
and more likely to lose insurance compared with native-born citizens. Legal residents
were less likely to gain and were slightly more likely to lose insurance
compared with native-born citizens. Naturalized citizens did not differ from nativeborn
citizens.
Conclusions. Previous studies have not examined health insurance transitions
by citizenship and legal status. Policies to increase coverage should consider the
experiences of different immigrant groups. (Am J Public Health. 2005;95:109–116.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2003.028514)