Health care is a basic right in a Democratic society. It is no more a privilege based on ability to pay than is the right to vote, which was once accorded only to property owners.”

The comprehensive health care reform law enacted in March 2010 (sometimes known as ACA, PPACA, or “Obamacare”). The law has 3 primary goals: Make affordable health insurance available to more people. Support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally.

The ultimate goals of healthcare reform are to increase the number of insured and to increase the quality of care while trying to stabilize or reduce costs. Learn more about how healthcare reform affects individuals and employers.

Over-attention to administrative costs distracts us from the real problem of wasteful spending due to the overuse of health care services. A single-payer system will subject physicians to unwanted and unnecessary oversight by government in health care decisions.

Black/African American, American Indians and Hispanic groups are more likely to die of diabetes. Black/African Americans and White groups have higher death rates for heart disease and cancer. For all three diseases, Black/African Americans have the highest death rates while Asian/Pacific Islanders have the lowest.

Here are three areas of focus:

• Create linkages to non-health community providers that address social determinants and support prevention and wellness.
• Make the services family centered, as well as patient centered and culturally competent.
• Engage community members as leaders.

Health and health care disparities are often viewed through the lens of race and ethnicity, but they occur across a broad range of dimensions. For example, disparities occur across socioeconomic status, age, geography, language, gender, disability status, citizenship status, and sexual identity and orientation.

Living in poverty does not necessarily predetermine poor health. Poverty will not “cause” a disease. Instead, poverty affects both the likelihood that an individual will have risk factors for disease and its ability and opportunity to prevent and manage disease.

Health Disparities are differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, morbidity, burden of disease, and other adverse health conditions and outcomes among specific population groups. What are some examples of health disparities? Incidence rates for cervical cancer in Vietnamese women in U.S.

The definition of disparity is a difference. When you make $100,000 and your neighbor makes $20,000, this is an example of a large disparity in income. Inequality or difference, as in rank, amount, quality, etc. Unlikeness; incongruity.

Income status, health literacy, education level, ethnicity, and race are all factors or conditions that can contribute to health disparities.