National Medical Association, Health System Reform - From Legislation to Implementation

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

WASHINGTON, March 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the passage of the historic health care legislation, 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 implementation and its impact on health disparities.

For minorities, low income families and individuals, disparities in access, quality of care and health outcomes have been all too common in the current health care system.  Inadequate attention has been paid to racial inequality.  Ignoring inequality exacerbates existing health care disparities.  Health care disparities have deep roots in systemic inequality, addressing these disparities is essential to ensure that health reform is implemented properly and disparities should be a focus in the reconciliation measure to be voted on by the Senate.

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

Congressman John Conyers, (D-MI) Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, (D-VI)

Gary A. Puckrein, Ph.D., National Minority Quality Forum

Elena Rios, MD, National Hispanic Medical Association Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, (Invited) Congressional Black Caucus, (Invited)

Congressional Hispanic Caucus, (Invited)

Families USA, (Invited)

Racial and Ethnic Disparities Coalition

National Access Health Care Project

When: Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 10:00 AM, EST

Where: Room 2237 Rayburn House Office Building, Independence Avenue and South Capitol Streets

Washington, DC 20515

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