Partnering for Health Equity in Minority Communities

Across the country, communities of color are mobilizing for a stronger, healthier future, and advancing health equity for all by tackling one of the most significant drivers of disparities in health – access to insurance coverage. At the center of that movement are the many organizations and advocates working tirelessly to connect minority individuals and their families with opportunities to attain affordable health coverage made possible by the Affordable Care Act.

As our nation gears up for the next health care open enrollment period this fall, 13 organizations will be further empowered to expand outreach to minority uninsured people from grant awards totaling $3.2 million through the U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health Partnerships to Increase Coverage in Communities (PICC) Initiative. The PICC Initiative will provide grant awards to increase health insurance enrollment of racial and ethnic minorities.

These 13 organizations will work to engage underserved communities and empower them with actionable information through partnerships with minority media, training for faith leaders, hosting culturally and linguistically appropriate workshops and leveraging social media; where many people of color frequently turn to get and share information. The innovative approaches of these organizations, which will include in-person assistance, are breaking down barriers that stand between minorities and opportunities for reaching their best health.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more minorities have access to affordable, quality health care coverage, but gaps still exist. Those gaps underscore the need to support increased health insurance enrollment for communities of color. We learned from the first open enrollment period in the Marketplace that to reach minority people, outreach and education must be tailored to these communities.

Through the Affordable Care Act, the Health Insurance Marketplace is a gateway for closing health inequities for underserved and low-income people in our country. Programs funded through the PICC Initiative can serve as critical links for connecting those most in need to access points for quality coverage and care. These 13 organizations are poised to serve as vital partners in our efforts to reduce health disparities and achieve health equity for all Americans.

For additional information about the PICC Initiative and grant awardees, contact the OMH Press Office at: OMHMedia@hhs.gov.

J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE, is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health and the Director of the Office of Minority Health at the Department of Health and Human Services. The Office of Minority Health develops and coordinates Federal health policy that addresses minority health concerns and ensures that Federal, State and local health programs take into account the needs of disadvantaged, racial and ethnic populations.