All the tax talk on sugary beverages that happened in January to help offset the state's Medicaid expenses and provide for obesity prevention, is now "off the table" according to WPSD 6 news. In a state where the majority of adults are overweight and 1 in 3 children in the state are considered obese or overweight, sugary beverages may only add to the health risks of the state and Medicaid expenses. Although it was reported that 65% of Latino Illinoisans supported the penny-per-ounce tax, the proposal is unsupported by Republican Senator Paul Schimpf and Senator Dale Fowler, who reported they're glad to see the sugary beverage tax thrown out, believing it would drive business out of Illinois to other close states. Research from The HEAL Proposal estimated that an increase in ...
In San Antonio, TX (63.34% Latino population), a coalition of healthcare professionals has banded together to get the word out about the final days of Open Enrollment. EnrollSA has created a series of enrollment events throughout the Bexar County area leading up to the last day to enroll in healthcare coverage for this year, January 31, 2017. Events will be held throughout the city, beginning on Saturday, January 28 leading up till the final day. The events will be bilingual and volunteers on site can help people navigate the enrollment process. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved. For those looking to simply renew their coverage, they ...
After a new policy for a sugary drink tax was proposed by Mayor Javier Gonzales and questioned by the city council, Mayor Gonzales reminded Santa Fe City Council to consider the 2-cent-per-ounce tax to fund preschool education this last Wednesday, January 25th, 2017. Health is a factor in bringing the tax to the city, but Gonzales's main idea for the tax revolves around bringing equity in education to the many children in the city that do not have enough preschool slots or teachers, according to Santa Fe Mexican Editorials. The tax is estimated to bring in as much as $7.7 million a year to help fill the city's some 966 3-and 4- year-olds that are lacking a high-quality pre-K education. More conversations with Gonzales about his proposal is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, ...
Few groups have benefited more from the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) than Latinos. Since the law went into effect, over 910,000 Latino adults – between the ages of 19 and 26 – who would have previously been without coverage were now eligible to remain on their parents’ plans. Over 4.2 million gained health insurance in that time as well, lowering the rate of Latino uninsured by 7.7%. With the deadline for the latest phase of Open Enrollment coming to a close on January 31, 2017, many are still without coverage. This is partly due to the fact that many do not know what is covered through plans available in the Health Care Marketplace. What Marketplace Plans Cover All plans that are available through the Marketplace cover the same set of “essential health ...
Health inequities in the United States are a rampant problem, especially for minorities such as Latinos. The U.S. has higher rates of infant mortality and shorter life expectancies than other wealthy nations. There are deep racial, ethnic, and socio-economic disparities that persist at the county and state levels throughout the country that impact millions of low-income and minority families. A new report looks to have gotten to the “root causes” of these inequities. According to research from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, factors ranging from poverty to inadequate housing to “structural racism,” and discrimination all contribute to the health inequities that burden many citizens with poor overall health and well-being. “When our ...
Almost half of all the adults in the United States have at least one chronic medical condition. These conditions include many which disproportionately plague Latinos, such as diabetes and lung disease. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health coverage for chronically ill patients has increased by nearly 5%. While this has shown to be a significant gain, more work needs to be done. A study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine studied adults between the ages of 18 and 64, the largest pool taking part in the Health Insurance Marketplace. “We wanted to see how many people were uninsured and clearly needed health insurance,” said Dr. Hugo Torres, of the Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, MA in an interview with USA Today. “We know the prevalence of ...
Three years ago, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect. Since that time, the uninsured rate in the United States has been significantly reduced to historic lows. From 2013-2016, the rate of uninsured Americans overall has been virtually cut in half and people in all demographics and regions of the country have seen significant gains. Latinos, in particular, have greatly benefited from the new insurance laws. An issue brief released by Enroll America has shown how much Latinos – and all Americans – have benefited from the ACA. According to the brief, uninsured rates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia have declined since 2013; about 90% of all counties in the U.S. saw their rate drop by a 25% or more. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to ...
Malls are often partially blamed for the decay of walkable downtowns and linked with greater vehicle dependence, thus depriving cities of sustainable economic growth and safe places for kids and families to walk. A failed mall in Meriden, Connecticut (28.7% Latino) was transformed into the type of public space that boosts mental, physical, and emotional health, as well as the economy. A mall was built in a small town between Hartford and New Haven in 1970. Due to inadequate flood control-underground pipes blocked three brooks-during construction of the mall, flooding was an issue. In 1992 and 1996, flooding caused $26 million in damages to the downtown area. The City began the Harbor Brook Flood Control project which continues today. The vacancy rate of retailers the mall ...
Nearly 12 million people who utilize Medicare beneficiaries have received discounts of over $26 billion on prescription drugs since 2010. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new information showing that millions of senior citizens and people with disabilities continue to benefit on the improvements to Medicare as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). According to information from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare, over 4 million Latinos in the U.S. receive benefits from Medicare and their median income was $12,800 annually. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved. In 2016, over 4.9 ...
