In addition, while health care in Latin America can be expensive for people of modest means, the costs, on average, are far less than they are in the United States.  If someone needs surgery, sometimes family members will chip in, somebody sells a truck, and the cost of care is covered.  When Spanish speakers learn how much surgery or other extensive health care services in this country might cost, they realize that they have nowhere near enough family members or trucks.  They decide they will have an alternate plan, which often consists simply of hoping for the best.

For people who grew up in Latin America unable to afford care there, being unable to afford care here is really no big deal.  It is a fact of life they are accustomed to, and they are generally reluctant to make it a priority to pay for expensive insurance so that they can access expensive health care.   In either case, the initial communication these folks need is on the role health insurance plays in building financial stability and security in this country.   And yet we tend to throw plan details at them without laying this ground work (see Light Bulb Moment Número 1).

Tune in next week for Light Bulb Moment Número 3!

Melissa Burkhart is the founder and president of Futuro Sólido, which provides a wide variety of Spanish language services, including written translation, on-site interpretation, and language instruction. They have successfully served such industries as finance, insurance, landscaping, construction, manufacturing, health care, non-profit, and hospitality. To learn more, visit www.futurosolidousa.com.