Health Care Role

Although the United States is a leader in healthcare innovation and spends more money on health care than any other industrialized nation, not all people in the United State benefit equally from this progress as a health care disparity exists between racial and ethnic minorities and white Americans. Health care disparity is defined as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social or economic disadvantage…adversely affecting groups of people who have systematically experienced greater social and/or economic obstacles to health and/or clean environment based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion” (National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities [NPAEHD], 2011, p. 3). Overwhelming evidence shows that racial and ethnic minorities receive inferior quality health care compared to white Americans, and multiple factors contribute to these disparities, including geography, lack of access to adequate health coverage, communication difficulties between patients and providers, cultural barriers, and lack of access to providers (American College of Physicians,

Terminating the medical care inequalities gap is a problematic, multifaceted task. A study that surveyed 14 racial and ethnic minority subgroups determined that health inequalities could be constricted by providing minorities with better health care coverage, more adequate language skills and assistance, and higher incomes. However, the authors noted that other important factors such as biases, uncertainty in the provision of medical care, and stereotyping would also need to be covered. Ending the disparity gap is not only ethically and professionally imperative, it remains an obvious civil rights inequality that must be addressed. Since the 1990s, federal government, health insurers, and other stakeholders have taken an increased interest in addressing health care inequalities among Hispanics groups. For instance, the Healthy People 2010 initiative highlighted the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities as a prominent public health goal for the next

About 36.6% of the population in the U.S belong to or identifies as one of the 5 ethnic minority groups. These groups are Native Hawaiian, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, African American or Black, or Pacific Islander. The U.S has the most expensive health care system in the world yet many of these minority groups are worse off in regards to socioeconomic and health care status if compared to white Americans. It is plain to see this health disparity when some communities have death rates comparable to 3rd world countries.

The cost and quality of health care and access to it is one of the foremost aspirations in national health care. And the overall main aims of reforming the American health care system is to reduce costs, enhance the quality of and access to health care [1].

The Common Wealth Fund is an organization that encompasses studies on racial and ethnic health disparities amongst blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians and other ethnic minorities. The main results from the research are that adequate and intensive health care is not as predominant in these ethnic groups as it is for white individuals. Moreover, these conclusions are independent of the patient’s age, income, level of education and insurance membership. In order to pinpoint the upstream causes of these disparities, researchers have examined other factors that may contribute to the quality of treatment, such as the patient-provider relationship and perceptions of Medicaid managed care. The Asian American community is a subject group that has recently gained attention from the scientific community as their experiences in the healthcare setting have not been documented, despite being “one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups” in the United States.

There are vulnerable groups that have significant problems in the health care system, due to this population being made vulnerable because of their financial circumstances or place of residence, health, age, race, mental or physical state. Access to health care across different populations are the main reason for current disparities in the United States health care system. Moreover, with a large amount attention being given to racial disparities in health, the meaning of race has come under increased scientific examination. (Sondik, 1997) Consequently, race remains to be one of the most politically charged topics in American life, because it's linked to sociocultural element often has led to classifications that have been ambiguous and improperly

The federal government could play a great role in the availability/access to health care throughout our nation. For example, providing “free clinics” to regions that are heavily populated by residents with partial income, no health insurance, and who are not eligible for other government aid programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. These “free clinics” can be subjected to malpractice lawsuits, yet according to Wikipedia, “Free clinics can be granted medical malpractice coverage through the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). FTCA coverage includes health care professionals who are acting as volunteers.” (Free Clinics, 2015) Another way the government can allow better access to health care is to offer subsidies for urgent cares to operate in low income areas. I found the need for government assistance in this area very important over the information I obtained on a web gazette entitled Poor Health.

One of the goals of Healthy People 2020 is to increase access to health care, specifically through reducing “the proportion of persons who are unable to obtain or delay in obtaining necessary medical care” (Healthy People 2020) from 4.7 percent to 4.2 percent. The Center for Medicare Advocacy, and the California Health Policy Forum, have both identified race and ethnicity as key components of healthcare disparity. Defined as “a difference in which disadvantaged social groups such as the poor, racial/ethnic minorities, women and other groups who have persistently experienced social disadvantage or discrimination systematically experience worse health or greater health risks than more advantaged social groups,” (Center for Medicare Advocacy) policies to protect this population are non-specific.

Radical and Ethnic disparities continue to be a problem in America and have adversely affected the minority population health and health care. However, there has been remarkable improvement over the past centuries, but more work need to be done. Although ethnic and radical disparities exist for many complex and interacting factors, “such disparities are unacceptable.” Focusing on ways to reduce or eliminate health disparities can resolve these issues and improve the quality of care to every individual. This article provides an overview of the issues surrounding health and health care disparities, efforts to close the gaps, and recommendation for making further progress.

These terms are relevant for improving the health of all Americans by achieving improvements in overall quality of care and population health. Moreover, health disparities are costly, resulting in added health care costs, lost work productivity, and premature death (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2012). According to a recent analysis 30 percent of direct medical costs for Blacks, Hispanics, and Asian Americans are excess costs due to health inequities) and that, overall, the economy loses an estimated $309 billion per year due to the direct and indirect costs of

Within the past couple of year, the United States as a whole has had challenges with improving the overall population health. The increase in healthcare costs has caused a distinct disparity within minority groups. Under the Affordable Care Act, cost and access has drastically affected many individuals. Despite the United States increase in spending, many are still uninsured and vulnerable to detrimental health outcomes. The uninsured have no access to sufficient and effective health care services, meaning they resort to little or no care at all. For example, different racial and minority groups are without access to Medicaid and Medicare due to its restrictions. Targeted groups such as African Americans and Hispanics have lower rates of health care coverage, access and overall quality of care. It is evident that minorities were misrepresented among the coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Apart from such target groups, whites appear to receive better health care coverage and outcomes. This has become a problem when it comes to health care access, meaning there are major health discrepancies. There is a disparity gap between the different ethnic groups that the Affordable Care Act fails to accurately address and provide provisions to such requirements for government-funded assistance programs (Shi & Singh, 2015).

This year being an election year means that the American people are confronted with many issues and disparities that plague our nation. One of these hot button topics is that of healthcare. The United States is the only developed nation without a universal healthcare system, but spends the most for health services. With so many Americans lacking the adequate care needed or facing bankruptcy due to piling medical bills, one must look at the health disparities that are causing this super power nation to inadequately serve its citizens.

With the baby boomer generation spurring the overall ageing of the United States population, this upcoming demographic shift provides an opportunity to address various ageing issues. Examining disparities in the utilization of healthcare services continues to be a prominent and worthwhile goal, specifically in the area of promoting healthcare access to marginalized and minority racial and ethnic groups who are significantly less likely to contact health professionals resulting in poorer overall health profiles. With recent legal changes, the changing climate of health care policy in the U.S. can be utilized to reduce current barriers to the access of quality healthcare.

Changes in access to health care across different populations are the chief reason for current disparities in health care provision. These changes occur for several reasons, and some of the main factors that contribute to the problem in the United States are: Lack of health insurance – Several racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and other minority groups lack adequate health insurance coverage in comparison with people who can afford healthcare insurance. The majority of these individuals are likely to put off health care or go without the necessary healthcare and medication that is needed. Lack of financial resources – Lack of accessibility to funding is a barrier to health care for a lot of people living in the United States

US health care expenditures have been rising quickly over the past few years; it has risen more than the national financial system. Nonetheless a number of citizens in the US still lack appropriate health care. If the truth be told, health care expenditures are going to continue to increase; in addition numerous individuals will possibly have to make difficult choices pertaining to their health care. Our health system has grave problems that require reform, through reforming, there is optimism that there will be an increase in affordable health care and high-quality of care for America. Medicaid, Medicare and private sector insurances are all going through trials and tribulations because of