Minorities are
more likely to be uninsured in America and none more so than
Hispanics. More than one out of three Hispanics are uninsured
(34%). A little more than one out of five African Americans
and Asian Americans are uninsured. This compares with 13%
of Caucasians who are uninsured.
In addition, minorities tend to be uninsured
for longer periods of time because of disparities in income,
education, and industry sector. Many work in small firms and
service industries where rates of uninsurance are higher and
wages lower.
Health Coverage and Ethnicity
for People under Age 65, 2004
Race/Ethnicity
Population
Uninsured
(millions)
Percent
Millions
White
166.7
13.1%
21.9
Black
32.4
21.1%
6.8
Hispanic
39.6
34.2%
13.6
Asian
11.1
18.1%
2.0
Other
6.1
20.0%
1.2
CAHC believes that creating appropriate
tax incentives will help minorities gain access to private
health insurance. Health Care
Tax Credits and Health
Savings Accounts can enable them to afford health insurance.
The specific purposes for which the CAHC is organized are to promote the enactment of:
a tax credit directed to individuals and families for the purchase of private health insurance
other market-oriented approaches to extending private health insurance coverage to the uninsured.
These objectives will be met by holding regular briefings on Capitol Hill to communicate proposals for the uninsured to policymakers
