HHS: Health Coverage Gap Unchanged Over Last Decade
Last week, HHS reported in its final review of the federal program "Healthy People 2010" that low-income and minority U.S. residents are less likely to have health coverage compared with the general population, despite nationwide efforts over the past 10 years to reduce the disparity. The report measured the success of Healthy People 2010 based on 733 indicators set in 2000. It found that 23% of the initiative's goals were met; 48% of health indicators showed improvement; 24% of indicators declined; and more than 69% of health indicators related to reducing disparities by race, ethnicity, gender, income and education showed no change. HHS officials plan to renew their emphasis on reducing health disparities in the next set of targets under Healthy People 2020.
- "Disparities Cloud Health Improvements in Past Decade, Report Finds" (Torres, Kaiser Health News, 10/6).