Since 1975, more than 60 million Syrian refugees have fled the unrest in their home country. The US has accepted only a handful.

Since the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, request for sanctuary within the United States has increased. But the US only accepts 3,000-5,000 refugees each year, after 18 months of intense applications and vetting.

Most Syrian immigrants who are eventually admitted, are relocated to upstate New York, where local health systems are being crippled by the complex needs of this challenged population.

Some health nonprofits have gone under, or have closed their doors to refugees. Other health systems have created improvitisory regional networks, frequently eating costs not reimbursed by Medicaid for care and interpretation services.

The linked article provides an excellent analysis of the challenges facing this system, as well as proposals for a better way forward.

Read full article at Health Affairs blog.