This dissertation examines laws and policies in Western receiving countries concerning migrants' health care entitlement and queries their defensibility. Using Canada as a case study and drawing international comparisons where appropriate, it is shown that Western receiving countries often provide migrants with a level of health care coverage inferior to what is bestowed on their respective citizens. Proponents of such unequal health care entitlement between migrants and receiving-country citizens have commonly rationalized it as a measure to reduce public spending and to deter immigration-related fraud. Available evidence, however, challenges the validity of these claims. Instead, migrants' lesser health care entitlement is more appropriately understood as a product of their social exclusion in receiving societies. To characterize all migrants as "others" fails to appreciate the reality that certain migrants constitute rightful members of receiving communities according to the theory of social membership. Like their citizen counterparts, migrants who are ordinarily resident and those whose establishment of ordinary residence can be confidently foretold are closely linked to Western receiving countries given their communal affiliations, involvement in social cooperation, self-identification, and subjection to the relevant state's coercive authority. As their members, Western countries ought to afford these migrants the same extent of health care entitlement as they do their citizens in order to satisfy the dictates of equality and reciprocity. In contrast, differential health care entitlement between citizens of Western receiving countries and migrants whose residence therein is not ordinary in nature is morally permissible. In a world that largely depends on broad-based, ongoing resource redistribution within each nation to realize individuals' right to health care, membership in these political communities is key to generating the solidarity needed to sustain such communal resource sharing. The inclusion of migrants who are not members of receiving societies in these redistributive processes raises concerns about illegitimacy. Nevertheless, given their territorial presence, pursuant to the principles of causation and remedial capacity, even non-member migrants should be entitled to a basic set of health care rights in Western receiving countries, including, at minimum, coverage for primary care and provision of medical treatment that cannot be deferred.

Numerous important issues arise in relation to the health of, and healthcare for (and by), migrants. Much commentary on the migrant crisis and healthcare has focused on the allocation of resources, with less discussion of the needs of, and provision for, migrants. Presenting a comparative perspective on the UK and Germany, this volume increases knowledge of a broad spectrum of challenges in healthcare provision for migrants. ‘Migration’ is deliberately understood in its broadest sense and includes not only migrant patients but also migrant healthcare professionals. The book’s content is diverse, with insights from healthcare ethics, healthcare law, along with clinical perspectives as well as perspectives from the social sciences. The collection provides normative reflections on current issues, and presents data from empirical studies. By informing researchers, politicians and healthcare practitioners about approaches to challenges arising in healthcare provision for migrants, the collection seeks to inform the development of adequate and ethically appropriate strategies.

Presenting a comparative study of the UK and Germany, this volume increases our knowledge of a broad spectrum of challenges in healthcare provision for migrants.

Immigration and health care are hotly debated and contentious issues. Policies that relate to both issues—to the health of newcomers—often reflect misimpressions about immigrants, and their impact on health care systems. Despite the fact that immigrants are typically younger and healthier than natives, and that many immigrants play a vital role as care-givers in their new lands, native citizens are often reluctant to extend basic health care to immigrants, choosing instead to let them suffer, to let them die prematurely, or to expedite their return to their home lands. Likewise, many nations turn against immigrants when epidemics such as Ebola strike, under the false belief that native populations can be kept well only if immigrants are kept out. In The Health of Newcomers, Patricia Illingworth and Wendy E. Parmet demonstrate how shortsighted and dangerous it is to craft health policy on the basis of ethnocentrism and xenophobia. Because health is a global public good and people benefit from the health of neighbor and stranger alike, it is in everyone’s interest to ensure the health of all. Drawing on rigorous legal and ethical arguments and empirical studies, as well as deeply personal stories of immigrant struggles, Illingworth and Parmet make the compelling case that global phenomena such as poverty, the medical brain drain, organ tourism, and climate change ought to inform the health policy we craft for newcomers and natives alike.

"This book can be read by anyone with an interest in migration and health, whether as an advocate for migrants health, as a student in a health profession, researcher or policy maker. It provides an ample orientation to the field in the European context. Among other important raised issues, it underlines an all too often neglected fact; health is a human right. By involving broad issues and problem areas from a variety of perspectives, the volume illustrates that migration and health is a field that can not be allocated to a single discipline." Carin Bjrngren Cuadra, Senior Lecturer, Malm University, Sweden Migrants make up a growing share of European populations. However, all too often their situation is compounded by problems with accessing health and other basic services. There is a need for tailored health policies, but robust data on the health needs of migrants and how best these needs can be met are scarce. Written by a collaboration of authors from three key international organisations (the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the EUPHA Section on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health, and the International Organization for Migration), as well as leading researchers from across Europe, the book thoroughly explores the different aspects of migration and health in the EU and how they can be addressed by health systems. Structured into five easy-to-follow sections, the volume includes: Contributions from experts from across Europe Key topics such as: access to human rights and health care; health issues faced by migrants; and the national and European policy response so far Conclusions drawn from the latest available evidence Comprehensive information on different aspects of health and migration and how they can best be addressed by health systems is still not easy to find. This book addresses this shortfall and will be of major value to researchers, students, policy-makers and practitioners concerned with migration and health in an increasingly diverse Europe.

Publisher Description

In this time of large-scale global migration at levels unrivalled since World War II, primary care practitioners are providing the first line of care to economic immigrants and refugees. In doing so, they face daily the considerable challenges that this heterogenic group brings in terms of communication, culture, and legal status as well as physical and mental health. This accessible book has been carefully crafted to enable primary health care professionals to develop the skills and competencies required to deliver appropriate services to this diverse group of patients and, in turn, to ensure equity in health care for all. Key features: Highly practical focus, with clinical cases, learning objectives, concept and ‘What this Means in Practice’ boxes, and ‘Practical Tools for Meeting the Patient’ sections Covers widely applicable themes in health care including health literacy, communication, the cultures and sub-cultures of systems Fully referenced, combining policy, academic literature and practical advice with a broad international scope Prestigious author team with chapters written by international contributors with in-depth subject expertise curated by expert editors Endorsed and supported by the WONCA Special Interest Group on Migrant Care, International Health and Travel Medicine The book satisfies the urgent need for a hands-on guide to support and help general practitioners and other members of the primary health care team improve their provision of care not only to immigrants, but to other vulnerable groups and the whole society.