National Medical Association - Will Status Quo Persist in Health Care?

Physician Group to discuss the impact of health care reform on health disparities

WASHINGTON, March 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Medical Association (NMA), the nation's oldest and largest organization representing the interests of 30,000 African American physicians will hold a press conference to address health care reform legislation and its impact on health disparities.

For minorities, low income families and individuals, disparities in access, quality of care, and health outcomes are all too common in the current health care system. On the heels of the health care vote, the NMA along with several other advocacy partners will amplify the message that attaining health care is vital for all Americans and inaction is not an option. Inadequate attention is being paid to racial inequality. Ignoring inequality exacerbates existing health care disparities. Health care disparities have deep roots in systemic inequality and addressing those disparities is essential to achieve real reform.

Who:

Willarda Edwards, MD, MBA, President, National Medical Association

The Hon. John Conyers, Representing Michigan's 14th District Racial and Ethnic Disparities Coalition

When:

Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 10:00 AM

Where:

Room 2237 Rayburn House Office Building

Independence Avenue and South Capitol Streets Washington, DC 20515

Why:

• 33.5% of Latinos, 20.4% of Blacks, 17% of Asian Americans and 12.1% of Caucasians are uninsured. Source: (Cover the Uninsured, Facts and Research, Race/Ethnicity, Percentage Uninsured among the Non-Elderly Population by Race and Ethnic Origin Chart. http://covertheuninsured.org/content/raceethnicity).
• In the U.S., 11.4% of all non-Hispanic blacks aged 20 years or older have diabetes, and African Americans are twice more likely to have type 2 diabetes as whites of similar age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes: Data & Trends. Source: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/prev/national/index.htm  
• African Americans/Blacks continue to suffer the greatest burden for each of the most common types of cancer and a 25% higher death rater for all cancers combined. Source: (National Cancer Institute, Cancer Topics, Cancer Health Disparities, http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/cancer-health-disparities/disparities)
• Tuberculosis is 24 times more common among Asians, with a disparate rate of 26.3 as compared to 1.1 for the White population. Source: (Office of Minority Health, Data/Statistics, Asian American/Pacific Islander Profile. http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=53)

Founded in 1895, the National Medical Association is the nation's oldest and largest medical association representing the interests of more than 30,000 African-American physicians and their patients. The NMA repeatedly advocates for policies that would assure equitable and quality health care for all people.

SOURCE National Medical Association