Study Examines Role of Employers, Health Plans in Addressing Racial, Ethnic Health Care Disparities

"Engagement of Health Plans and Employers in Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care," Medical Care Research and Review: The study examines the awareness of racial and ethnic disparities in health care access and quality, perceptions of employer and health plan roles in addressing disparities, and reported efforts to measure and reduce disparities. The study finds that "most health plans and many employers are aware of the existence of substantial disparities and that health plans, but not employers, have taken steps to examine and influence patterns of care by race and ethnicity among their members" (Rosenthal et al., Medical Care Research and Review, April 2009).