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Healthcare |
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Affordable
and quality healthcare for African, Hispanic, and Asian
Americans |
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| From the Blog
You would think that if the
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has concerns about
healthcare reform, it is because people of color are getting
screwed in the process. Guess again.
Instead, the Commission has questioned whether some of
the provisions provide racial preferences that are
unconstitutional. Say what? It became clear where the
Commission was coming from after looking at its members –
four appointed by George W. Bush, two independents, and two
Democrats appointed by Congress.
It is no surprise that the Commission has come under fire
from the Leadership Council on Civil Rights, a coalition of
200 civil rights organizations, for becoming too political.
That would seem almost a prerequisite for working in the
Bush administration. Apparently the Commission has taken
issue with programs in the healthcare bill that would
provide incentives for physicians to practice in underserved
areas by forgiving medical school debts, and education for
underserved populations about public health issues.
This is exactly the kind of thing the Commission should
be advocating for, instead of opposing in such a blatantly
political way.
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According to a report by
Johns Hopkins University Institute of Medicine, ethnic racial minority Americans (African,
Latino, and Asian) do not receive the same level of quality healthcare as
non-minority Americans. To most people, this is probably not a surprise.
Since minorities have an average household income less than that of
non-minorities, they are less likely to be able to afford the same level of
healthcare or have it provided for them by their employers.
What is alarming however is
the significant disparity that exists even when comparing conditions when there
is a "level playing field", i.e. the patient has the same insurance status and
income. Most people would believe that given the same insurance status and
income, minorities and non-minorities should receive the same quality of
healthcare. The Hopkins study confirmed previous studies that indicated
that this is clearly not the case.
Studies have shown that
minorities are far less likely to receive:
- Routine medical procedures
- Appropriate cardiac medication
- Coronary artery by-pass surgery
- Kidney transplants or hemodialysis
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