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Racial Equity and Health Policy

Racism, Discrimination and Health

Proposed Changes in the Census Could Impact Efforts to Address Health Disparities

The proposed changes would effectively prohibit the counting of many noncitizen immigrants, including undocumented immigrants and some lawfully present immigrants, and ban the inclusion of questions on race and ethnicity from the decennial census.

Also: HHS’s Elimination of Disparate Impact to Determine Discrimination: Potential Implications for Health and Health Care

Health Coverage by Race and Ethnicity, 2010-2024

The Growing Use of Artificial Intelligence in Health Care and Implications for Disparities

KFF Survey on Racism, Discrimination and Health: Views on Racism and Trust in Key U.S. Institutions

Overview of Health Coverage and Care for Individuals with Limited English Proficiency

the Essentials

  • How Experiencing Racial Discrimination Impacts Health

    This brief highlights research examining mechanisms underlying health outcomes linked to self-reported experiences of racial discrimination, including biological changes, chronic stress, mental health, substance use, pregnancy-related outcomes, and sleep.

  • Timeline: How History Has Shaped Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

    This timeline offers a historical view of significant U.S. federal policies and events spanning the early 1800s to today that have influenced present-day health disparities.

  • Health Policy 101: Chapter on Race, Inequality and Health

    Addressing persistent racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care is important for improving the nation’s health and economic prosperity. KFF explains such disparities and the factors that drive them, examines the actions to address them, and outlines future considerations.

  • Key Data on Health and Health Care by Race and Ethnicity

    Racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care remain a persistent challenge in the United States. An updated KFF resource examines how people of color fare compared to White people across 64 measures of health, health care, and social determinants of health.
Interactive Timeline

How History Has Shaped Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: A Timeline of Policies and Events

This interactive timeline explores how history has shaped racial and ethnic health disparities and the lasting effects that persist to this day.

The timeline describes major U.S. federal policies and events since the early 1800s that are linked to present-day health disparities. It also covers policies that impact health coverage and access to care, medicine, and social and economic policies that influence health as well as efforts to tackle inequalities.

Survey of Immigrants

KFF-New York Times Survey: Immigrants Report Rising Fear, Negative Economic and Health Impacts, and Changing Political Views During the First Year of President Trump’s Second Term

The 2025 Survey of Immigrants, a partnership between KFF and The New York Times, takes an in-depth look at the experiences of immigrants during the first year of President Trump’s second term, including their worries related to increased immigration enforcement, their health and economic wellbeing, and the political views and preferences of immigrant voters. The survey paints a portrait of families under strain — where fear of detention and economic instability are negatively impacting immigrants’ health and reshaping immigrant families’ daily lives and views of U.S. political parties.

Read the News Release | Explore The New York Times’ Reporting

Immigrants

Many Lawfully Present Immigrants Will Lose Health Coverage Due to the 2025 Tax and Budget Law

This policy watch outlines the groups of lawfully present immigrants that will lose access to federally funded health coverage due to new restrictions on eligibility in the 2025 tax and budget law.
It also highlights the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) estimates of the number of lawfully present immigrants who will become uninsured due to the provisions, as well as estimated federal savings that will result.
CBO estimates that the law’s restrictions on eligibility will result in 1.4 million lawfully present immigrants becoming uninsured and reduce federal spending by $131 billion by 2034.

Related: Key Facts on Health Coverage of Immigrants

Recent State Actions Related to Immigrants’ Access to Services and Immigration Enforcement

Health Issues for Immigrants in Detention Centers

Policy Bars Many Immigrants from a Broad Range of Federal Health and Social Supports

Role of Immigrants in the Hospital Workforce

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  • Reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act: Background and Issues

    Report

    An analysis of issues affecting reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. The study examines the historical impact and effectiveness of the current law, its relevance in the context of the contemporary health environment and the issues pertinent to discussions about reauthorization of the Act. Report

  • Sources of Financing and the Level of Health Spending for Native Americans

    Report

    This study of Native Americans health care funding and expenditures includes the following: An analysis of all sources of financing and the level of total health expenditures by and on behalf of Native Americans, a detailed analysis of the same data for each of the 12 Indian Health Service areas across the country, an estimate of per-capita spending for health services to Native Americans overall, an illustration of the tribal discrepancies in per capita spending…

  • Health Coverage for Latino Children:  Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program

    Other Post

    Health Coverage for Latino Children: Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program An overview of Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and health care coverage for Latino Children. This issue brief was released at a briefing for Hispanic and Latino Media in Los Angeles, CA on June 24, 1999. The briefing is part of a series, Latino Voices for Latino Health: Three Cities, One Vision that is jointly coordinated by the Kaiser Family Foundation…

  • Medical Care Research and Review

    Other Post

    Journal Supplement This special supplement of includes: original research tracking trends in disparities in health coverage and access to care over two decades; literature syntheses focused on medical treatment and the decision-making process; legal analysis of civil rights laws in the context of managed care; and findings from a national survey of public awareness of racial inequities in care. The supplement is comprised of work commissioned by the Foundation for its 1999 national policy roundtable,…

  • 2002 National Survey of Latinos

    Poll Finding

    The Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation examines how members of the Hispanic community identify themselves, their views of the United States, their experiences with discrimination both within the Latino community itself and from non-Latino groups, their language abilities and preferences, their economic and financial situations and their experiences within the health care system. Summary of Findings Toplines

  • Kaiser Family Foundation National Survey of Latinos on HIV/AIDS – News Release

    Other Post

    Two New Studies On Latinos And AIDS In America: Survey Of Latinos Finds Widespread Concern About HIV/AIDS; Impact Of Disease Felt "Close To Home" Report Documents Impact Of AIDS/HIV On Hispanics And Offers Guidance For Community Health Providers Embargoed For Release Until:9:30 am, ET, Friday, May 1, 1998 For Further Information Contact: Tina Hoff or Matt James/KFF(650) 854-9400 Xiomara Sosa/COSSMHO(202) 797-4335 Washington, DC -- Next week Latino leaders will gather at Harvard University for the…

  • Kaiser Family Foundation/National Association of Black Journalists 1998 National Survey on Blacks, Media & Health

    Report

    A national survey of 800 African Americans, plus an additional general population sample of 800 Americans, examining perceptions about the media's coverage of health issues that most concern and impact African Americans. This survey was conducted jointly by the Foundation and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for presentation at the NABJ's annual conference being held in Washington, DC on Friday, July 31st, 1998. TOPLINE Download CHARTPACK Download NEWS RELEASE Download

  • Coverage and Access of Adults 18-64 in the District of Columbia: Key Facts

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet summarizes the findings of the DC Health Access Survey, released in the Fall of 2003. It includes information on topics including: the demographics of the uninsured adults in the District of Columbia, findings about where and to what extent uninsured adults in the District of Columbia get medical care, and financial barriers to care. Fact Sheet (.pdf) Survey Highlights, Chartpack, and Toplines

  • Survey of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees

    Report

    To give voice to people whose lives have been devastated by Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing floods, The Washington Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a unique survey of evacuees in shelters in the Houston area. The provides information on evacuees' lives before the hurricane and inside Houston area shelters, as well as their plans for the future. The survey also includes a number of health-related questions, including…