Read the full memo here.
Washington, D.C.—Today the Center for American Progress Action Fund released the memo “What Health Reform Repeal Means for Hispanics” by Visiting Fellow Lesley Russell who argues that Republican plans to repeal and replace health care reform will hurt Hispanic Americans.
According to Russell, the enactment of the Affordable Care Act provides a unique opportunity to address the health care disparities that communities of color experience in the United States. The House Republicans’ "Pledge to America" plans to repeal health care reform and replace it with a grab bag of isolated measures that mostly benefit those who already have health care coverage. These piecemeal measures will do nothing to address the hurdles such as lack of health insurance, lack of access to preventive care, and language and cultural barriers that Hispanic families face in getting access to the care they need.
According to the memo, the Republican “Pledge to America”:
· Will not improve access to health insurance coverage for Hispanic Americans
· Will not rein in the excesses of the health insurance industry to protect Hispanic Americans
· Will not improve access to a primary care provider and usual source of care for Hispanic Americans
· Will not provide better preventive health services for Hispanic Americans
· Will not improve the lower health quality and health care disparities communities of color experience
The ACA makes significant advances for Hispanics’ health coverage, quality of care, and access to health care services. It represents an important milestone toward the ultimate goal of eradicating racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care in the United States. The Republicans’ "Pledge to America" represents a devastating roll-back of much-needed changes to our nation’s health care system—a step backward that will ensure that communities of color continue to receive poorer care and live in poorer health than the rest of the nation.
Read the full memo here.
Lesley Russell is a Visiting Fellow at the Center for American Progress.
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