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2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)

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2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)

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The Affordable Care Act has 3 main goals: to make health insurance more accessible by making it more affordable to lower income households, expanding Medicaid to cover more adults with an income below 138%, lastly supporting new innovative healthcare that will lower the general overall cost of the health care patients can receive. With the ACA, there were large increases in insurance gain for people of color compared to White people that narrowed disparities. Although this can't solve the disparities with health insurance, the Medicaid and insurance expansion in some states increased access to care and improved health outcomes greatly, including racial disparities people are facing due to low income and racism in general.

Kffmichaelp. “How History Has Shaped Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: A Timeline of Policies and Events.” KFF, 11 Jan. 2024, www.kff.org/how-history-has-shaped-racial-and-ethnic-health-disparities-a-timeline-of-policies-and-events/.

Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). “About the ACA.” HHS.Gov, 15 Mar. 2022, www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/index.html.

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The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 shut the world done for many months trying to stop the spread. The population had a very significant two-year decline in life expectancy in the US. People of color were more affected by the pandemic due to the lack of healthcare, leading to long term impacts. About half of Latinos say they know someone who has faced a health or financial hardship during the pandemic. 52% of Latino adults say a family member has been hospitalized or died from COVID-19. Many had lost their job or experienced a wage loss during the pandemic. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hispanics are at a higher risk for hospitalization or death due to lack of access to health care and exposure from jobs. Racial groups had lost many family members and friends due to lack of healthcare. Whether it was not being able to get vaccines or not getting healthcare when they were sick during the pandemic has still affected some in the following years.

Noe-Bustamante, Luis. “For U.S. Latinos, COVID-19 Has Taken a Personal and Financial Toll.” Pew Research Center Race & Ethnicity, Pew Research Center, 15 July 2021, www.pewresearch.org/race-ethnicity/2021/07/15/for-u-s-latinos-covid-19-has-taken-a-personal-and-financial-toll/.

Kffmichaelp. “How History Has Shaped Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: A Timeline of Policies and Events.” KFF, 11 Jan. 2024, www.kff.org/how-history-has-shaped-racial-and-ethnic-health-disparities-a-timeline-of-policies-and-events/.

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2021 Declaration of Racism as a Serious Public Health Threat

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2021 Declaration of Racism as a Serious Public Health Threat

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It was documented that racism was a major cause of racial health disparities in the US in 2003 but was not declared by the federal government until 20 years later that racism is a public health threat. They finally addressed disparities and racial health equity as federal priorities. Covid-19 and the killing if George Floyd had a large impact on racism and health. The CDC said that racism not only affects the well-being of millions but affects the health of our entire nation. They are going to work towards addressing discrimination, creating new partnerships, and embark to make sure health equity and the elimination of health inequities are the most important. Many other organizations such as the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association and other states have acknowledged the role racism plays in healthcare disparities.

Kffmichaelp. “How History Has Shaped Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: A Timeline of Policies and Events.” KFF, 11 Jan. 2024, www.kff.org/how-history-has-shaped-racial-and-ethnic-health-disparities-a-timeline-of-policies-and-events/.

“CDC Declares Racism a Public Health Threat.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Aug. 2023, www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/racism-disparities/expert-perspectives/threat/index.html.