Health Reform and Communities of Color: How might it Affect Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities?
The major bills now pending before Congress include a number of key provisions
that could either directly or indirectly have an impact on reducing health
disparities affecting racial and ethnic minorities. Racial and ethnic
minorities represent only one-third of the total U.S. population, but they
comprise more than 50 percent of the nation’s uninsured.
This issue
brief examines some of the key provisions of health reform legislation that are
likely to have a significant impact on people of color and also highlights the
specific provisions of the proposed legislation that focus on health
disparities. These provisions include efforts to expand access to health
coverage through Medicaid expansions and health exchanges, as well as workforce
development, expansions of community health centers and several specific
disparities provisions.
Issue Brief (.pdf)
