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Racial Equity and Health Policy

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

States Have Enacted or Proposed a Range of Legislation That Will Affect Immigrants’ Access to State-Funded Health Coverage

Role of Immigrants in the Hospital Workforce

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

Potential Impacts of 2025 Budget Reconciliation on Health Coverage for Immigrant Families

Racism, Discrimination and Health

Physician Workforce Diversity by Race and Ethnicity

Racial and ethnic disparities in health remain persistent in the U.S. of health care services and broader social and economic factors that reflect historical and ongoing racism. One factor that can mitigate such disparities is when physicians and patients share the same racial or ethnic background.

Data show that in the U.S. Hispanic, Black, AIAN, and NHPI people were underrepresented among physicians relative to their share of the population. The widest gap was seen among Hispanic people, who comprised 20% of the total population but only 7% of the physician workforce.

Disappearing Federal Data: Implications for Addressing Health Disparities

State Reported Efforts to Address Health Disparities: A 50 State Review

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

Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Efforts to Address Them

Survey of Immigrants

A Majority of Lawfully Present Immigrants Are Worried They or a Family Member Could Be Detained or Deported

A new KFF poll finds six in 10 lawfully present immigrants say they worry about the possibility that they or a family member could be detained or deported, contributing to feelings of increased stress, anxiety, and other health problems. A companion report based on focus groups provides a window into how likely undocumented immigrants and their families are faring in the current immigration policy landscape.
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.
the Essentials

  • Disparities in Health and Health Care: 5 Key Questions and Answers

    This brief provides an introduction to what health and health care disparities are, why it is important to address them, what the status of disparities is today, recent federal actions to address disparities, and key issues related to addressing disparities in the future.

  • 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.

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  • African American and HIV/AIDS Survey

    Report

    A national random-sample survey of 811 African American adults, 18 years and older, on their knowledge, values and beliefs with respect to HIV and AIDS.

  • Medicare’s Role for Latinos – (Spanish version)

    Other Post

    Medicare's Role for Latinos - (Spanish version) Note: This publication is no longer in circulation. However, a few copies may still exist in the Foundation's internal library that could be xeroxed. Please email order@kff.

  • Women and Health Care: A National Profile

    Report

    A new national survey of women on their health finds that a substantial percentage of women cannot afford to go to the doctor or get prescriptions filled. Although a majority of women are in good health and satisfied with their health care, many have health problems and do not get adequate levels of preventive care.

  • Health Coverage in an Economic Downturn: Impact of Tight Budgets on Families and States

    Fact Sheet

    The economic downturn has strained family finances and prompted some Americans to cut back on medications and forgo preventive care and visits to the doctor. At the same time, the downturn has triggered declines in tax revenue that inhibit states’ ability to meet rising Medicaid program costs as enrollment spikes during economic hard times.

  • Immigrants’ Access to Health Care

    Issue Brief

    Immigrants account for 20 percent of the uninsured. There are many reasons for immigrants' lack of coverage, but the welfare reform law of 1996 was significant in restricting Medicaid eligibility for certain immigrant populations.

  • The Medicare Program: Panorama General De Medicare

    Fact Sheet

    Que Es El Medicare Y Como Se Financia? Medicare es un programa de seguro medico nacional que atiende a 39 millones de ancianos y discapacitados. Antes de la existencia del Medicare, menos de la mitad de todos los norteamericanos de edad avanzada contaban con un seguro medico.

  • The AIDS Epidemic at 20 Years: THE VIEW FROM AMERICA Survey

    Report

    Twenty years into the AIDS epidemic, the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted its most recent survey of Americans about HIV/AIDS. This report summarizes the key findings from the survey, including analysis of trends over time and across race/ethnicity, age, and gender. It describes Americans' concerns about HIV/AIDS as a personal, national, and global issue.

  • Disparities in Women’s Health

    Other Post

    Disparities in Women's Health Disparities in health and health care continue to burden women, particularly affecting women of color or those who are poor.