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Racial Equity and Health Policy

Racism, Discrimination and Health

Health Coverage by Race and Ethnicity, 2010-2024

This brief examines trends in health coverage by race and ethnicity from 2010 through 2024. Since 2010, there have been large gains in health coverage across racial and ethnic groups but racial and ethnic disparities in coverage persisted. The largest gains occurred after implementation of the ACA coverage expansions in 2014.

In 2024, the overall uninsured rate increased for the first time since 2019 as pandemic-era continuous enrollment in Medicaid came to an end, with significant increases among Hispanic, Black, and White people under age 65. Coverage disparities have persisted over time and, in some cases, widened despite earlier gains under the ACA.

Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy

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

Elimination of Federal Diversity Initiatives: Updates and Current Status

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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  • Survey Briefs From the 2002 National Survey of Latinos

    Poll Finding

    In 2002 the Pew Hispanic Center and the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a national survey of Latinos, which explored the attitudes and experiences of the Hispanic population in the United States on topics such as identity, assimilation, discrimination, and health care. Five new survey briefs are now available that further examine the findings from the 2002 survey. Latinos in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and New Jersey Generational Differences Health Care Experiences Bilingualism Assimilation and…

  • Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Women’s Health Coverage and Access to Care

    Issue Brief

    Using data from the 2001 Kaiser Women’s Health Survey, a nationally representative survey of nearly 4,000 women between the ages of 18 to 64, this issue brief explores racial and ethnic disparities in health care among women. It provides new information on the differences in health status, health insurance coverage, and selected measures of access to care across three racial/ethnic groups of women: African American, Latina, and white. Issue Brief (.pdf)

  • Key Facts: African Americans and HIV/AIDS

    Report

    provides comprehensive data on the impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic on African Americans. Based on the most recent data and research on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS among African Americans, the report includes an overview and epidemic profile, as well as data on major trends, access to and use of health services, and perceptions of HIV/AIDS. Chartbook (.pdf)

  • Native American Health Policy Fellowship Program, 1999 – 2003

    Other Post

    Established in 1999, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Native American Health Policy Fellowships were awarded to outstanding American Indian/Alaska Natives who made their career in health-related fields and were interested in health policy. The purpose of the fellowship was to give American Indian/Alaska Native community leaders an opportunity to learn more about national health policy issues and the policymaking process. Fellows were given the opportunity to work full-time for one year in a Congressional…

  • American Indians and Alaska Natives: Health Coverage and Access to Care

    Fact Sheet

    American Indians and Alaska Natives: Health Coverage Access to Care, Fact Sheet A fact sheet examining health coverage and access to care among American Indians and Alaska Natives. This fact sheet is an update to a KCMU fact on the subject issued in June 2000 (#2198). Fact Sheet (.pdf)

  • African American and HIV/AIDS Survey – News Release

    Other Post

    Despite Widespread Concern About AIDS, Few African Americans See 'A Lot' of Action From Community Groups and Government in Fight Against Disease African Americans Want Practical Help on HIV/AIDS:How to Talk with Children and Partners, More Information About Testing and Treatment Media Named As Most Important Resource on HIV/AIDS Embargoed for release until: 9:00 am, ET, Tuesday, March 17, 1998 Boston, MA -- As African Americans make up a growing percent of new AIDS cases…

  • Racial/Ethnic Differences in Cardiac Care: The Weight of the Evidence

    Fact Sheet

    Numerous studies over the past two decades have documented racial and ethnic differences in care for heart conditions. To assess the quality of the evidence and to summarize the information for a physician audience, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation collaborated with the American College of Cardiology Foundation to review the body of research on racial/ethnic differences in cardiac care. There is credible evidence that minority patients are less likely than white patients to receive…

  • National Survey of Latinos: Politics and Civic Participation, Summary and Chartpack

    Poll Finding

    The chartpack and summary of findings from a comprehensive survey that assesses Latino attitudes in the 2004 election year. The third annual survey of Latinos from the Pew Hispanic Center and the Kaiser Family Foundation, the new survey examines political issues and the presidential election campaign, the economy, health care, Iraq and immigration. Summary and Chartpack (.pdf)

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

    Fact Sheet

    The Affordable Care Act (ACA) could help many uninsured Blacks through the law’s expansion of Medicaid and the creation of new health insurance exchange marketplaces with tax credits to help moderate-income people purchase coverage. This brief provides an overview of the Black population in the U.S., their health coverage today and the potential impact of the ACA coverage expansions.