WASHINGTON, June 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On June 9, 2009, the White House convened a roundtable discussion on health disparities with attention on provisions needed in health reform to improve the health of vulnerable communities including African Americans, Hispanics, Asian and Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, the disabled, and others. Roundtable participants included a number of key stakeholder organization representatives including the Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Coalition (REHDC) Chair/African American Health Alliance (AAHA) Director, Fredette West. As action on health reform escalates, West continues to urge communities of color to intensify their involvement both in Washington and back at home to make sure that the President and Congress know what their needs are. "Make a call; write a letter; send an email. Call the White House at 202-456-1414 or 202-456-1111, and the Congress at 202-225-3121, and/or contact them through whitehouse.gov; healthreform.gov; house.gov; and/or senate.gov and ask others to do the same," said West.

Included among those needs are universal coverage and access; prevention and wellness services; proper data collection on race, ethnicity and primary language; expansion of workforce diversity; strong quality assurance mechanisms that assure cultural and linguistic competence; health information technology that leaves no community behind; improved health outcomes; strong consumer and community role in decision-making; strong anti-discrimination protections; one-tier health care services; choice of provider; empowered communities; and level playing field for employment and business opportunities for underrepresented health providers, entrepreneurs and workers. To this end, West urged inclusion of REHDC provisions in health reform, their priorities are supported by over 100 organizations.

Co-convened by Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy Ann DeParle; and White House Office of Public Engagement Director Tina Tchen, the discussion was part of the Administration's continuing series of White House health care stakeholder discussions to advance community involvement. "Health reform is integral to the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities, and the elimination of these disparities is integral to effective and affordable health reform," said West. Action on health reform is expected to be completed this year. AAHA calls on all of its colleagues and partners to contact the President and their Congressional representatives in House and Senate and ask them to include racial and ethnic health disparities improvement provisions in health reform. According to West, "This won't just happen; vulnerable communities must speak up and speak out to make sure that health reform responds to their respective community needs: also go to healthreform.gov."

SOURCE African American Health Alliance

RELATED LINKS
http://www.whitehouse.gov
http://www.healthreform.gov
http://www.house.gov
http://www.senate.gov