Table of Content
Despite comprising just 13.4 percent of the total U.S. population, African Americans make up 40 percent of the homeless population, and are an overrepresented part of this group in every state. Food insecurity is also an issue affecting many African Americans and has important implications for health outcomes and economic well-being. Food insecurity occurs when a household or family lacks access to adequate nutritious food. Across economic indicators, vast disparities exist between African Americans and whites that mirror the proportions seen in health disparities. Due to structural barriers, African Americans are more likely to be poor than white Americans and are less likely to have a full-time worker in the household.
There are several versions of the public option—some that would leave the marketplace subsidy structure unchanged, and others that would enhance it for all plan participants. Some public option proposals even go so far as to eliminate individual heath insurance plans created by the ACA. A key difference in the Biden plan, when compared with Medicare for All, is that it retains current public and private insurance sources. For people who like or prefer their private insurance, they can maintain it under the Biden plan. Income is a major factor in a family’s ability to access health care, which can make up a significant share of household spending in terms of insurance premium costs and out-of-pocket costs. Once again, poverty was ruled out as a factor, due to the fact that the higher allostatic loads existed among African Americans of various socioeconomic backgrounds.
Overview of Health Care Reform Plans
The American health care system is beset with inequalities that have a disproportionate impact on people of color and other marginalized groups. These inequalities contribute to gaps in health insurance coverage, uneven access to services, and poorer health outcomes among certain populations. A majority of Black adults say less access to quality medical care where they live is a major reason why Black people in the U.S. generally have worse health outcomes than other adults.
African Americans are one of the most politically engaged demographics in this country. Addressing their unique challenges and perspectives, including the pervasive impacts of racism, must be included in health reform efforts. Black adults have generally positive impressions of their most recent experience with health care. A majority (61%) rate the quality of care they’ve received from doctors or other health care providers recently as excellent (25%) or very good (36%).
African American experiences in healthcare: "I always feel like I'm getting skipped over"
Often, people of color find themselves relying heavily on community health centers, emergency rooms or outpatient care, and community-based providers due to the lack of available primary care and mental health providers in a given geographic area. Traveling outside of the immediate geographic area to access health care may be an option for some people, yet this can be a challenge due to lack of access to transportation for those with limited incomes or for those living in rural areas. Despite coverage gains, remaining health care challenges exist that have a disproportionate impact on African Americans. The lack of Medicaid expansion in key states, health disparities, and health care provider shortages make it incredibly hard to address America’s health care needs in a comprehensive way. And while these challenges are factors that touch many Americans in various parts of the country, the gravity of them is uniquely seen in the South, and among the African-American population.
The study participants had similar socioeconomic backgrounds, which eliminated poverty as a stressor—a social factor that has also been linked to the onset of illness. Mental health and primary care were the disciplines in the shortest supply. Work with communities and healthcare professional organizations to eliminate cultural barriers to care.
Professional Home Care Services
Another important social factor leading to poor health outcomes and economic disadvantage among African Americans is racism, because not only is it a stressor, but it impacts who gets what in America, particularly health care. The single payer and public option insurance plans outlined in this report were developed in a way to help fill coverage gaps and get as many people insured as possible. The plans aim to do this by emphasizing affordability—addressing the high cost of insurance premiums and limiting out-of-pocket costs, including surprise medical bills, prescription drugs, and fees for direct health care services. Unfortunately, current health reform plans fall short in adequately addressing racism in the health care system.
Taking into account the vast economic challenges for African Americans, savings in health care costs could help lead to better economic outcomes. In turn, health outcomes could also improve due to more comprehensive coverage available to all. MUA/Ps identify specific populations that are likely to experience barriers to health care including the homeless, low-income people, people eligible for Medicaid, Native Americans, and migrant farmworkers. Designations are made by calculating the population-to-provider ratio, percent of population below the federal poverty level, percent of population over the age of 65, and the infant mortality rate. Even with improved access to medical care under the ACA, the disparities in health outcomes between African Americans and whites are stark.
About American Home Health
While Black adults generally offer positive ratings of the quality of care they’ve received most recently, a majority (56%) say they’ve had at least one of several negative experiences with doctors or other health care providers at some point in their lives. However, disparities still exist across health conditions when comparing African Americans and whites, including maternal mortality, infant mortality, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other health issues. Social factors, including economic disadvantage, inequities in education, and lack of access to health care, impact a person’s ability to lead a healthy and productive life. For people in American society that experience racism and inequality in their daily lives, and throughout the lifespan, the impact of social factors on health are the most grave. This report will examine the state of health care coverage for African Americans and shed a light on important social factors that uniquely impact their health outcomes. In an effort to draw implications from leading health care reform plans, recommendations are made for the way forward in ensuring that the physiological and social impacts of racism are not omitted in efforts to secure truly universal health care coverage in America.
Across many chronic illnesses, however, African Americans are still more likely to die compared to other racial and ethnic groups. In fact, African American children are ten times more likely to die by gun violence than white children . Under the ACA, Medicaid eligibility was expanded for adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level . Of the more than 20 million people who have gained coverage under the ACA, 2.8 million of them are African-American—and yet, this population is still more likely to be uninsured than white Americans. Train community health workers in underserved communities to educate and link people to free or low-cost services. Supporting partnerships between scientific researchers and community members to address diseases and conditions that affect some populations more than others.
Among U.S. adults, women ages 18 to 49 are also more likely than older women or than men to say they have had at least one of these negative experiences in a health care visit. Those with higher incomes report more positive recent experiences with doctors and other health care providers than do those with lower incomes. A smaller share (24%) views communication problems from language or cultural differences as a major reason why Black people generally have worse health outcomes than other adults in the U.S. The cost of health care is still of major concern for those people with private health insurance, more so than for those with public insurance sources. When health care providers are located within majority African-American and Hispanic neighborhoods, they tend to offer lower-quality care.
As of August 2019, the program covered 68 million people, with African Americans making up about 20 percent of Medicaid enrollees. Over the span of several decades, namely since the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968, they have been able to make notable strides in American society. According to the Economic Policy Institute, educational attainment has greatly increased, with more than 90 percent of African Americans aged 25–29 having graduated from high school. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page.
Accountability measures at both the individual and systems levels should be in place, including measures that link payment, professional certification, and licensure to quality of care. It would also offer tax credits to middle class families to help lower the cost of health insurance and eliminate the 400 percent federal poverty level income cap. The plan would eliminate balanced billing and be financed through capital gains taxes on rich individuals. Biden’s plan also includes protecting access to contraception and abortion rights, as well as the promise to adopt California’s strategy of public–private partnerships nationwide in addressing the U.S. maternal mortality crisis as major steps in building upon the ACA. Various versions of public insurance option legislation have also been introduced in Congress by Senator Ben Cardin, Representative Cedric Richmond, Senator Tim Kaine, Representative Jan Schakowsky, and others. Housing and neighborhood safety are also important economic indicators that can impact health.
Because African Americans tend to be poorer than other demographic groups on average, public health insurance programs such as Medicaid are vital to ensure affordable health care and healthier outcomes. Strategies should include plans to not only increase the health care workforce, but also diversify it and offer technical support and training to minority-serving hospitals. Promote health equity by adequately addressing racism, bias, discrimination, and other systemic barriers within the health care system. To do this, policymakers must acknowledge the historical foundations of racism and ensure that health care providers, personnel and staff are substantively trained to recognize and eliminate all forms of bias in the health care system.
Taken together, 63% of Black women say they’ve experienced at least one of the seven negative health care experiences measured in the survey. Among Black men, 46% say they’ve had at least one of six negative experiences with doctors or other health care providers. Black women were asked one more item than men, but the gap between men and women on the six experiences in common is almost identical (62% vs. 46%).
A quarter describe the quality as good, while just 11% say it was fair and only 3% describe the quality of care they’ve received most recently as poor. Asked about their own health care experiences, most Black Americans have positive assessments of the quality of care they’ve received most recently. However, a majority (56%) say they’ve had at least one of several negative experiences, including having to speak up to get the proper care and being treated with less respect than other patients. Less access to quality medical care is the top reason Black Americans see contributing to generally worse health outcomes for Black people in the U.S. Large shares also see other factors as playing a role, including environmental quality problems in Black communities, and hospitals and medical centers giving lower priority to the well-being of Black people.
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