Significant racial and ethnic disparities in health coverage and care persist in the U.S., even as the nation has reached a record low uninsured rate, according to a new analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
The report, released Tuesday, found that people of color continue to face barriers to health care access and utilization compared to their White counterparts. Despite coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act, Black and Hispanic people remain more likely to be uninsured, face cost-related barriers to care, and report fair or poor health.
“While we’ve made important progress in expanding health coverage, this report is a sobering reminder that we have more work to do to close racial health gaps,” said CBPP President Sharon Parrott. She called for targeted policies to address disparities, including Medicaid expansion in holdout states and improved language access services.
The analysis also highlighted the underrepresentation of people of color in health research and the need for more comprehensive, disaggregated data. Researchers noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed and exacerbated long-standing inequities.
“Advancing Racial Equity in Health Coverage and Care” May 9, 2024
