This study compares the unmet medical needs of foreign-born and U.S.-born adults. Both subjective and objective unmet medical needs are considered, and the roles of duration of U.S. residence, English language proficiency, and state-level destination type in explaining immigrants’ unmet need are assessed. Multivariate analyses of the 2007–2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey reveal that immigrants reported less subjective unmet need and equal or greater objective unmet need vis-à-vis natives. Among immigrants only, living less than 5 years in the U.S. and in a new or traditional, high-skill destination state versus a traditional, low-skill state is significantly associated with greater objective, but not subjective, unmet need. While this study reinforces the importance of stable health insurance and, to a lesser extent, income for gaining entry to the formal healthcare system for both immigrants and natives, it also highlights the need to identify factors that influence immigrants’ positive health-related perceptions, including characteristics of the healthcare system in origin countries. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Health care disparities immigrants Unmet medical need Behavioral model MEPS

perception health insurance Continental Population Groups ancestry group human sex difference middle aged statistics and numerical data health service time factor health status Time Factors language Insurance, Health Health Services Needs and Demand Humans migrant psychology male Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics adult age Sex Factors Age Factors Health Services Accessibility health care delivery