262726 Framework for Improving Latino Community Health in an Era of Health Reform

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 4:30 PM - 4:50 PM

George Flores, MD, MPH , Healthy California -- Prevention Program, The California Endowment, Oakland, CA
  
     
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to provide health care coverage for more than 30 million uninsured and / or underinsured Americans, many of whom are Latino. The ACA also includes provisions related to reduction of racial and ethnic disparities, data collection and reporting, quality improvement and prevention. The ACA provides opportunities for states to make lasting and comprehensive system and community-level changes aimed at achieving health equity and health improvement for the most vulnerable populations. To assure that California policymakers take advantage of every opportunity in the ACA to improve health for Latinos, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, a respected statewide health advocacy organization, convened a Blue Ribbon Panel of experts in Latino health. The Panel deliberated along with a member of the state's Health Benefits Exchange Board, to inform a "Framework for Implementing the Affordable Care Act to Improve Health in Latino Communities in California." This presentation will describe The Framework's set of principles for implementation of the ACA that address health equity, cultural and language competence, community outreach, a strong safety net, priority for a culture of prevention, comprehensive and affordable services, a multicultural workforce, Latinos as system leaders, community empowerment and engagement, and health-supportive environments where Latinos live, work, play and go to school. We will also discuss how the Framework will be used to increase awareness and support among the public and policymmakers for health reform and measures to improve prevention and care.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Provision of health care to the public

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify opportunities to improve health of Latinos through implementation of the 2011 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 2. Differentiate between clinical and population based measures to improve Latino health. 3. Identify 3 or more strategies to prevent the leading causes of illness and cost of care for Latinos.

Keywords: Latino Health, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have over 30 years experience as a health professional: as a primary care provider, international health, county public health officer, as clinical faculty for a medical school, and now as a grant maker for a private health foundation. I have authored or co-authored 12 peer-reviewed publications on public health topics, and given hundreds of presentations. I am a co-founder of a major Latino health advocacy organization, and have done research on Latino health topics.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3434.1: Health equity for Latinos: Are we making progress?