Home Racial Equity and Health Policy Topics

Racial Equity and Health Policy

Racism, Discrimination and Health

Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy

All racial and ethnic groups saw increases in life expectancy between 2021 and 2023, driven by the decline in COVID-19 deaths, which disproportionately impacted groups of color during the pandemic.

Even so, persistent disparities remain. Life expectancy is lowest for American Indian & Alaska Native (AIAN) people at 70.1 years, followed by Black people (74), White people (78.4), Hispanic people (81.3) and Asian people (85.2). Data were unavailable for Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander people.

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

Changes in Children’s Vaccination Rates by Race and Ethnicity

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

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

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

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.

Latest News

More KFF Health News

Subscribe to KFF Emails

Choose which emails are best for you.
Sign up here

View the Latest: Racial Equity and Health Policy

Filter

List Grid

441 - 450 of 599 Results

  • Race, Ethnicity and Medical Care: Improving Access in a Diverse Society

    Report

    In an effort to address the racial inequities in health care that exist today, the Kaiser Family Foundation brought together leading public and private sector policymakers -- including health professionals, educators, civil rights leaders, and consumer organizations -- to review the evidence and race and medical care and discuss what can be done to address inequities in care.

  • Health Coverage for the Hispanic Population Today and Under the Affordable Care Act

    Report

    The more than 50 million Hispanics living in the United States make up 17 percent of the total population and are the nation's fastest growing racial or ethnic group. Many Hispanics continue to face disparities in health coverage and care, and they have the highest uninsured rate among racial/ethnic groups, with nearly one in three lacking coverage. This brief provides an overview of the Hispanic population in the U.S., their health coverage today and the potential impact of the ACA coverage expansions.

  • An Overview of HIV/AIDS in Black America

    Report

    Black Americans account for more HIV and AIDS cases, people estimated to be living with AIDS, and HIV-related deaths than any other racial/ethnic group in the U.S. Today, Black Americans make up about 12 percent of the U.S. population, but account for half of all new AIDS cases.

  • 8 Preguntas & Respuestas sobre Puerto Rico

    Fact Sheet

    La crisis de $73 mil millones de Puerto Rico ha sido tema de los medios de comunicación nacionales, y de debate en el Congreso en los últimos meses.

  • In Wake of Dallas, Minnesota and Baton Rouge Shootings, an Opening for Local Leaders

    From Drew Altman

    In this The Wall Street Journal Think Tank column, Drew Altman discusses how incidents in Dallas, Baton Rouge and Minnesota create opportunities for local leaders to take steps to reduce police-involved violence, citing data from the KFF-CNN survey of Americans on Race and KFF-New York Times Survey of Chicago Residents.

  • Health Coverage and Care of Undocumented Immigrants

    Issue Brief

    Recently, many of the Democratic presidential candidates indicated support for expanding health coverage to undocumented immigrants. To help inform the implications of such an expansion, this brief provides an overview of current health coverage and care for undocumented immigrants

  • What Role Do Immigrants Play in the Hospital Workforce?

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief analyzes the role that immigrants play in the hospital workforce, overall and by occupation and state. Immigrants account for about one in six hospital workers, including among clinical and nonclinical workers.