Responding to National Health Disparity Reports Through Multicultural Leadership Policy Initiatives, Feb. 20

2/19/2004

From: Mary Mahon, 212-606-3853 or 917-225-2314 or mm@cmwf.org; or Bill Byrne, 212-606-3826 or bkb@cmwf.org' both of the of the Commonwealth Fund; Sheila Thorne of the Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, 202-371-0277 or 201-491-4710 (cell)

News Advisory:

Racial and ethnic disparities in health care received major attention with the December 2003 release of the first annual congressionally mandated National Healthcare Disparities Report, which is just the latest to document the significant disparities in health status and access to care between minority and white Americans. Meanwhile, legislation has been introduced in Congress with the aim of reducing or eliminating health care disparities.

Journalists are invited to attend a public presentation of the Multicultural Leadership Working Forum, co-sponsored by The Commonwealth Fund and the Summit Health Institute for Research and Education (SHIRE), outlining the goals of the Working Group and presenting the latest evidence on health care disparities. The Working Group is charged with identifying key public and private sector policy recommendations that will lead to solutions to this continuing crisis.

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 20

TIME: 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Setting the Stage: Overview of Key National Health Disparity Reports, Legislative Measures, and Related Proposals

WHERE: National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, First Amendment Room

SPEAKERS:

-- Karen Davis, Ph.D., president, The Commonwealth Fund

-- Russell J. Davis, Ph.D., president, SHIRE

-- Alan Nelson, M.D., chair, Institute of Medicine Committee on Understanding and Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care will present findings from Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, Institute of Medicine, 2002

-- Ernest Moy, M.D., M.P.H., senior service fellow, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, will present findings from the National Healthcare Disparities Report, AHRQ, 2003

-- Anne C. Beal, M.D., M.P.H., senior program officer, Program on Quality of Care for Underserved Populations, The Commonwealth Fund, will present findings from Diverse Communities, Common Concerns: Assessing Health Care Quality for Minority Americans, The Commonwealth Fund, 2002

-- Craig Burton, healthcare advisor, Office of Senator Bill Frist, will discuss the Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act (S.1833/H.R. 3459)

-- Dora Hughes, M.D., M.P.H., health policy officer, Office of Senator Edward Kennedy, will discuss the Closing the Health Care Gap Act (S.2091.IS)

From 10:30-11 a.m. selected speakers will be available for one-on-one interviews with reporters.