WASHINGTON, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Reverend Al Sharpton, Former Congressman J.C. Watts, and Dr. Gary A. Puckrein released the following statement. 

"We applaud the steps taken by the Congressional Black Caucus and the White House to meet to discuss the economy, unemployment and the need to pass health care reform. The current debate on health care is critical.  We must not lose sight of the fact that there continues to be a disparity in health care in our minority communities. As a nation we need to focus on more quality health care for minority populations, and reimbursement for the physicians and hospitals to provide these essential services. This bill ignores the minority disparity issue.  These disparities have existed for decades and true reform needs to address these issues.  As the health care reform debate continues, we are working together to emphasize the need for a focus on specific actions that will improve our opportunity to manage costs, enhance services to minority populations, their health care needs, and those of the physicians, hospitals and health centers who deliver health care with inadequate resources."

SOURCE National Minority Quality Forum