Achieving Health Equity through the ACA & HP2020 for Latino Americans 2020

Latinos are now the largest minority ethnic group in the United States, representing 50 million people and 16 percent of the population. By 2042 one of four Americans will be of Latino origin. Latinos face financial and non-financial barriers and social determinants of health that keep us from attaining good health status, mentioned by sister minority populations, and also share a common destiny of a health care system that is not culturally competent, has poor language services, few Hispanic health professionals and health care researchers, and few Hispanic health policy-makers who will shape health care reform to improve the health of our populations. Yet Latinos are the backbone of America's students, workforce, army and thought leaders who will bring a new society in 2020. Healthy People 2020 and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) brings the concept of health disparities, cultural competence to a new priority level. To achieve Health Equity, however, Healthy People 2020 and the ACA's opportunities must be used to transform American concepts of health, including: increased insured patients outreach & demand for all services with critical shortages of safety-net providers; need for increased nursing, clinics, medical practices in underserved areas; payment methods that incorporate quality, health outcomes, incentives to cover continuity of care, interdisciplinary teams; focus on disease prevention, health promotion and consideration of Hispanic lifestyle in our communities/families; patient-centered care (cultural competence, language/literacy services & training); Hispanic physician and health professional leadership; and research on Hispanic community health.