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How Does the Affordable Care Act Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care?
Despite efforts to address the issue, racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care in the United States persist. Disparities remain in the quality of care received even when income, health insurance and access to care are taken into account, and patients from racial and ethnic minorities often fare far worse than their white counterparts on a range of health indicators: life expectancy, infant mortality, prevalence of chronic diseases and insurance coverage, among others. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes both general and explicit provisions that could narrow these gaps.
- Tracking every patient's race, ethnicity and language (REL) preferences is necessary to identify and eliminate disparities in care and improve the quality of care for all patients.
- Some hospitals, doctors offices and health plans already track REL data, but the process is neither consistent nor objective.
- Under the 2010 ACA, all federally funded health programs and population surveys will be required to consistently collect and report REL data and other demographics using the same government-approved categories.
Health Policy Snapshot
Two-page briefs providing insight and analysis on key issues affecting health and health care in the United States.
View allACA requires all fed funded health progs & surveys must collect & report race/ethnicity/language data