Publications: Health Equity
At Risk in the Budget Battle: Health Care for Communities of Color illustrates the disproportionate impact deficit reduction could have on communities of color. This fact sheet demonstrates how protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act are important for advancing health equity. 4 pp. (December 2012)
Good Business Sense: The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit in the Affordable Care Act provides national and state-level estimates of the number of small businesses that will be eligible for this tax credit and of how much the credits will be worth. It also includes data on how many workers could benefit as a result, broken down according to racial and ethnic group. 21 pp. (Families USA and Small Business Majority, May 2012)
Good Business Sense: The New Small Business Health Care Tax Credit in California provides state-specific estimates of the number of small businesses that will be eligible for this tax credit and of how much the credits will be worth. It also includes data on how many workers could benefit as a result, broken down according to racial and ethnic group. 17 pp. (Families USA and Small Business Majority, May 2012)
Medicaid: A Lifeline for Blacks and Latinos with Serious Health Care Needs examines how essential Medicaid is for blacks and Latinos with cancer, diabetes, chronic lung disease, or heart disease or stroke. Cutting Medicaid would put them at risk. The Affordable Care Act will greatly help blacks and Latinos afford coverage. Released in partnership with seven other groups. 26 pp. (October 2011)
How Health Reform Helps Communities of Color is a series of state-based fact sheets that discuss how provisions in the Affordable Care Act--both those for the general public and those specifically designed to eliminate health disparities--help communities of color in each state. 7 pp. (September-October 2010)
How Health Reform Helps . . . is a series of fact sheets that highlight how the new health reform law will help America's communities of color by expanding coverage, increasing funding for community health centers, and providing grants for workforce diversity. 4 pp. (September 2010) African Americans l American Indians and Native Alaskans l Asian Americans l Latinos l Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders
Expanding Coverage for Recent Immigrants: CHIPRA Gives States New Options examines the provision that lifts the "five year bar" for legally residing immigrant children and pregnant women. It discusses how states can take advantage of this new option to expand coverage—and why they should. 11 pp. (updated August 2010)
Moving toward Health Equity: Health Reform Creates a Foundation for Eliminating Disparities summarizes provisions that will expand access to care through Medicaid and community health centers, and that address health disparities by promoting language access, increasing workforce diversity, and reauthorizing the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. 7 pp. (May 2010)
Health Reform: Help for American Indians and Alaska Natives discusses changes made by the new health reform law, including the overdue reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, and explains how these changes will benefit these two groups. 9 pp. (May 2010)
Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Key Health Equity Provisions discusses how health reform will improve language access and cultural competence, support community health centers, strengthen the federal Office of Minority Health, increase workforce diversity, and reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. 5 pp. (March 2010)
Building Blocks of Health Reform: The Social Security Example discusses how the Social Security program started out modestly but grew over time, as well as its importance to minority seniors. 2 pp. (March 2010)
Improving Language Access: CHIPRA Provides Increased Funding for Language Services discusses the increased funding for language assistance services (interpretation and translation) and how states cover these services for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees who are limited English proficient, or LEP. 7 pp. (February 2010)
Health Coverage in Communities of Color: Talking about the New Census Numbers takes a closer look at the latest data and finds that communities of color continue to bear the brunt of the uninsured crisis. This fact sheet looks at who is uninsured, poverty levels of different racial and ethnic groups, and why public programs are vital to communities of color. 4 pp. Print copies free (September 2009)
Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Key Health Equity Provisions examines several measures in the health reform proposals that are before Congress that will address inequities in the health care system. 3 pp. Print copies free (August 2009)
Comparative Effectiveness Research: A Potential Tool for Reducing Health Care Disparities counters misinformation about comparative effectiveness research and outlines steps to take to make it more useful in the fight against health care disparities. 4 pp. Print copies free. (August 2009)
The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA): Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities examines four key provisions in the new law: investing in outreach, increasing access for legal immigrant children and pregnant women, increased funding for interpretation and translation services, and establishing new quality of care measures. It also includes action steps for advocates. 12 pp. Print copies $5.00 (June 2009)
Health Care Reform: Critical to Closing the Gap for Communities of Color presents a more in-depth look at data on the uninsured, which reveal alarming racial and ethnic disparities in health coverage. 2 pp. Print copies free (March 2009)
Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008: Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities discusses how the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) addresses health disparities within the Medicare population. MIPPA provisions to address these issues include: improved data collection for measuring and evaluating health disparities, outreach to the previously uninsured, and compliance with cultural competency standards. 6 pp. Print copies $2 (November 2008)
Congress Delivers Help to People with Medicare: An Overview of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act discusses the positive changes the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) makes to Medicare. These changes include the improvement of Medicare health care benefits, the creation of policies that reduce racial and ethnic disparities among beneficiaries, and the reining in of inefficient private Medicare Advantage Plans. 8 pp. Print copies $2 (October 2008)
An Unequal Burden: The True Cost of High-Deductible Health Plans for Communities of Color discusses the full costs associated with high-deductible health plans and why these expenses are disproportionately unaffordable for racial and ethnic minorities. It also examines several myths about health savings accounts (HSAs), which are often coupled with such health plans. 12 pp. Print copies $2 (September 2008)
Health Coverage in Communities of Color: Talking about the New Census Numbers takes a closer look at the 2007 uninsured data. The number of uninsured was considerably higher in 2007 than it was in 2000, and communities of color continue to bear the brunt of this crisis. This fact sheet looks at who is uninsured, where people get their health insurance, and why public programs are vital to communities of color. 4 pp. Free (September 2008)
Identifying and Evaluating Equity Provisions in State Health Care Reform explores how states can increase health equity by expanding health coverage and addressing issues of access to care, quality of care, social determinants of health, and infrastructure reforms. The report also evaluates existing health equity laws, regulations, and reform proposals in five states. From The Opportunity Agenda, Families USA, and The Commonwealth Fund. 56 pp. (April 2008)
Universal and Equal: Ensuring Equity in State Health Care Reform States across the country are looking for ways to expand affordable, quality health coverage to more people, but few states have focused specifically on the problem of inequality in health care. This piece presents strategies advocates can use to integrate health equity into larger health reform efforts, as well as a checklist they can use to evaluate their states' proposed expansions. From The Opportunity Agenda and Families USA. 8 pp. Print copies $2 (January 2008)
Confronting Disparities while Reforming Health Care: A Look at Massachusetts examines how state advocates were able to build on expansion efforts and address the host of issues that affect disparities in health and health care. Includes an extensive discussion of lessons that can be learned from the Massachusetts experience. 10 pp. Print copies $2 (Updated January 2008)
New Medicaid Regulations Discriminate against U.S.-Born Children of Immigrants focuses on a specific provision of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), which has established regulations for citizenship documentation requirements for Medicaid. This provision creates an arbitrary and harmful distinction between children who are born in the U.S. to immigrants versus those born to citizens. 4 pp. Free (August 2006)
The Burden of Proof: New Regulations Worsen Citizenship Documentation Requirement in Medicaid examines the likely consequences of the new Medicaid citizenship documentation regulations and advises advocates on how to mitigate the harm these requirements may cause. 11 pp. Print copies $2 (July 2006)
Analysis of the Medicaid Citizenship Documentation Regulations discusses the interim final regulations that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued in July. The regulations alleviated the burden of documenting citizenship for several important groups of Medicaid beneficiaries and applicants. However, there are still many areas of concern in the new regulations, and millions of eligible Americans will have their coverage delayed or denied because of these onerous requirements. 8 pp. Print copies $2 (July 2006)
Making Public Programs Work for Communities of Color: An Action Kit for Community Leaders This action kit is designed to provide community leaders with the information, tools, and resources necessary to engage in health advocacy and improve the health and well-being of their communities. Print copies $15 (January 2006)
"Reforming" Medicaid: How State Waivers Will Hurt Racial and Ethnic Minorities examines the potentially negative impact that recently proposed changes to the South Carolina and Florida Medicaid programs will have on minority health. This issue brief also explores the role of Medicaid in improving access to health care for racial and ethnic minorities and analyzes the threat that state Medicaid waivers pose to the health of minority populations. 7 pp. Free (November 2005)
Medicaid and Minority Health: Why Cutting Medicaid Will Exacerbate Health Disparities
Analyzes the relationship between Medicaid and minority health, explores the causes of racial and ethnic health disparities, and examines how recent proposals to cut Medicaid will worsen these disparities. (February 11, 2005)
How Will Association Health Plans Affect Minority Health? Separating Fact from Fiction
Analyzes the real impact that AHPs will have on the health care access of uninsured racial and ethnic minorities. (February 2005)
Cut Medicaid--Increase Health Disparities: How Cuts to "Optional" Beneficiaries Will Affect Minority Health
Explores the lack of true distinction between mandatory and so-called "optional" enrollees. It also analyzes how proposed Medicaid cuts that target "optional" enrollees will exacerbate health disparities because they will have a disproportionate impact on the health care and health outcomes of racial and ethnic minorities, particularly African-American seniors in nursing homes. (February 9, 2005)
Presidential Candidates' Health Initiatives: How Will They Affect the Hispanic Community?
Families USA, with input from the National Association for Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund (NALEO), developed this document for Latino elected officials to raise awareness about specific health policies and suggest the likely impact of these policies on the Hispanic community. The publication is available in English and Spanish. 9 pp. (October 2004)
The TennCare Waiver and African Americans: The Truth Behind the Rhetoric examines the impact of the TennCare waiver on African Americans. TennCare is a crucial source of health care for all Tennesseans, and it provides coverage for two in every five African Americans in the state. The new waiver, released on August 19th, represents a radical departure from the existing program that will gravely threaten access to quality, affordable health care for African Americans in Tennessee. This two-page fact sheet explores these issues. 2pp. (August 25, 2004)
The Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act (ICHIA): A Good Investment in America's Future | en Español 2 pp. Free (December 11, 2003)
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