People of color experience unfair treatment or judgment when applying for public benefits at higher rates than White adults, which can often lead to material hardship. The Urban Institute's April 2021 Health Reform Monitoring Survey found that non-White adults were twice as likely to report facing unfair treatment or judgment because of their race or ethnicity compared to White adults.
Researchers analyzed the demographics of individuals experiencing unfair treatment or judgement and the resulting consequences:
Researchers report that the following practices may help prevent or mitigate such consequences in the future: emphasizing professionalism and training to improve benefit providers’ interactions with clients; changing providers’ incentive structure to encourage a customer service orientation; strengthening community-based enrollment options; and streamlining application processes so applicants face fewer hurdles and potentially negative interactions.
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