Differences in Health Care for Minorities
Health care should be equal across the board, no matter what race, religion, or ethnicity. Everyone has the basic human right to the same treatments, preventative care, and assistance in times of emergency. However, the cold truth is that health care is not equal among all people; minorities are found to have a decreased level of care.
Is this because of entitlement or hatred? Not really. The answer to why minorities receive less quality health care and seek health care treatments less often is much simpler than any race wars existing today.
According to the United States Health and Human Services (HHS) website, the biggest reason minorities do not have equal health care treatment is insurance. A study released in 2010 revealed this to be the highest reason, over any other economic or social reason, to be why minorities receive less than quality health care. This was part of the reason the Affordable Care Act was passed, however, lack of insurance in the past will still affect health care in the future, despite a number of minorities now able to purchase health insurance.
Even though minorities are now insured, their past still walks with them. The lack of preventative care before the ACA is giving everyone who could not afford a doctor in the past issues today. As more people become insured and can now see a doctor, more issues are being discovered, which could have been prevented if the person had insurance in years such as 2010. Minorities, more than any other group, continue to suffer through diseases that could have been avoided with preventative care.
Minorities also continue to lack a primary physician, even with the ACA in place. A number of them, especially on the west coast, are illegal, and so do not attend to their health for fear of deportation. Additionally, health care costs are still high, so a number of minorities simply do not go to the doctor unless it is necessary.
What Does This Mean for the In Home Health Care Industry?
Many professionals in the in home health care industry will see older minorities with preventable health issues. Due to lack of care, diseases and illnesses that could have been treated early are now in later stages. Care will be different for these individuals, because it may be more intense in their therapies and prescribed medications. It is a sad circumstance that minorities are falling ill to diseases which could have been cured with preventative care, but through lack of insurance in earlier years, it is a reality.
Call Vancouver Home Health Care Agency today if you want to talk more about insurance, preventative care, or anything else related to health care.
At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.