Georgia Latino Enrollment in the Affordable Care Act: A Qualitative, Key Informant Analysis

Background: Prior to implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, one in three Latinos in the United States were uninsured. In Georgia, a state that established a federal Marketplace, nearly half of Latinos lacked health insurance coverage going into the initial enrollment period of October 1, 2013 to April 15, 2014. The ACA provided an opportunity for these uninsured Latinos to gain health insurance coverage, thus increasing their access to necessary medical services. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, from the perspective of key informants, knowledge of Georgia Latinos about the ACA and perceived barriers to enrollment in Marketplace health insurance coverage. Methods: A semi-structured interview guide based on a review of relevant literature and consideration of the study goal and aims was developed. Fourteen in-depth interviews with key informants (participants) from Georgia’s Latino community, including nonprofit leaders, health media professionals, and community health promoters, were conducted between June and September 2014. Results: Participants described perceived barriers to enrollment during the initial ACA enrollment period and made recommendations for the design and implementation of future outreach, education and enrollment strategies. Major themes that emerged involved basic health literacy, misinformation, enrollment opportunities, the importance of place and politics, and technology and language as barriers. Conclusions: To target Georgia Latinos, we provide seven recommendations for outreach, education and enrollment, including the organization of one-on-one services in locations of familiarity and comfort to Georgia Latinos and the hiring and training of Spanish-speaking enrollment professionals. When providing ACA education to Latinos, stakeholders should begin with basic health literacy concepts and education regarding the fundamentals of the United States health insurance system. The findings of this study may serve to guide future design and provision of culturally competent outreach, education and enrollment services