Will the Affordable Care Act eliminate health disparities?
By a
However, new research published in the BMJ, examining use of joint replacement and preventable hospital admissions, shines fresh light on the complexities of achieving health equity. Two studies underscore previous indicators that racial and socioeconomic disparities persist even with nearly universal access to health coverage.
In his accompanying editorial "Advancing equity in healthcare: lessons from
To eliminate differences in the quality of care and outcomes, Chin suggests policymakers:
Nearly a decade after implementation of health care reforms in
While these latest findings are significant, the reasons for the disparities are still unclear. As debate continues around the power of the ACA to bring about real improvements in health outcome among minority and low-income populations, Chin sees the new insights as a good opportunity to discuss the critical next steps towards health equity.
"These two studies confirm that extra insurance coverage and generic efforts to improve the quality of care are helpful but will not eliminate differences in outcomes," said Chin. "Clinicians must identify and overcome the many health barriers faced by disadvantaged populations, including mistrust of the health care system and previous negative health care experiences."
Keywords for this news article include: Hospital, Quality of Care,
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