New Analysis of Equity Provisions in Congressional Health Proposals
New Analysis of Equity Provisions in Congressional Health Proposals
Dear Friends:
As you know, legislation is being considered in Congress to address the many woes of U.S. health care, which include rapidly escalating costs, uneven quality, and a large number of uninsured Americans. Given the disproportionate impact of these problems on communities of color, and the greater burden of poor health and shortened lifespans among some U.S. racial and ethnic minorities, it will be important for Congress to establish equity as a key goal of any health legislation.
To help highlight the need to address equity, The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies' Health Policy Institute, in partnership with the Drexel University School of Public Health's Center for Health Equality and Health Management Associates, is pleased to announce that we will analyze major health reform bills in the 111thCongress to assess how they will address racial and ethnic health and health care inequities. These analyses will be available on the Joint Center's website at www.jointcenter.org/hpi. We will make these analyses available periodically throughout the health reform debate as bills are considered in relevant committees and by the full House and Senate.
To begin, we offer an analysis of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee's "Affordable Health Choices Act," introduced by Senator Kennedy on June 9, 2009. To access this analysis, visit the Joint Center at http://www.jointcenter.org/hpi/pages/new-analysis-equity-provisions-congressional-health-proposals/
Soon, we will post an analysis of the Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus' bill, the House "Tri-Committee" legislation, as well as the leading Republican proposals. Visit our website frequently to stay posted on these developments!
Sincerely,
Brian Smedley, PhD
Vice President and Director, Health Policy Institute
