Although language and culture are important contributors to uninsurance among immigrants, one important contributor may have been overlooked - the ability of immigrants to return to their home country for health care. This paper examines the extent to which uninsurance (private insurance and Medicaid) is related to the ability of immigrants to return to Mexico for health care, as measured by spatial proximity. The data for this study are from the Mexican Migration Project. After controlling for household income, acculturation and demographic characteristics, arc distance to the place of origin plays a role in explaining uninsurance rates. Distance within Mexico is quite important, indicating that immigrants from the South of Mexico are more likely to seek care in their communities of origin (hometowns). © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Econometrics Health insurance immigrants Mexico-USA Latinos

immigrant medically uninsured demography health insurance middle aged travel health service Mexico Insurance, Health United States income North America Humans Hispanic male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation female cultural factor health services Article health care household income adult Mexico [North America] medicaid Models, Econometric Health Services Accessibility health survey