Where do we go from here? Maximizing the potential of health care reform to reduce racial and ethnic disparities

Health care reform bills passed by both the House and Senate demonstrate a commitment from legislators to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care through federal policies. In addition to broad health insurance market reforms which have been the focal point of the health care debate, both bills contain a number of less publicized provisions that explicitly target the health care needs of racial/ethnic minorities—such as those addressing data collection requirements, workforce diversity initiatives, and cultural competence education. While the enactment of health care reform remains uncertain, the inclusion of these provisions in final versions of House and Senate bills suggest that such actions are Congressional and Administrative priorities likely to play an important role in guiding support for research, services and policy for future years.

With support from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, we have examined peer-reviewed literature, major reports, legislative summaries and text to conduct systematic analyses of the potential implications of House and Senate health care reform bills for racial/ethnic minorities. To our knowledge, our analyses are the most comprehensive assessments of health care reform bills with a focus on impacts specific to racial/ethnic minorities.

This presentation will provide attendees with an in-depth understanding of the implications of health care reform legislation for racial/ethnic minorities, with a focus on provisions explicitly addressing their needs. Attendees will obtain a knowledge base to fully take advantage of new programs and funding opportunities and advocate for implementation where legislative efforts fall short.