Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Report: Health Care Improvements Helped African Americans And Latinos, But They Still Lag Behind Whites
Los Angeles Times: Blacks, Latinos Lag Behind Whites; 'Leaving So Many Behind,' Report Says
Improved health factors are generally the result of better healthcare insurance as mandated by Obamacare. Blacks went from 78.2% to 79.8%, helped in part by statistics showing a decrease in unhealthy life factors such as binge drinking. Latinos experienced a lower death rate and better health care coverage, improving their standing from 102.4% to 106.9% when compared to whites at 100%. A ranking of less than 100% means that blacks or Latinos were doing less well than whites, but a figure larger than 100% meant that the groups were doing better than whites. (Muskal, 3/19)
The Washington Post's Wonkblog: Support For Government Help Has Fallen Among Those Who Rely On It Most
Blacks are still far more supportive of governmental redistribution than the population as a whole. The elderly used to be as supportive, but now they are more likely to be opposed. What's more, opposition is growing among these groups to the kinds of redistributive policies that benefit them in particular. Blacks have become more opposed to the idea that the government should help members of racial minorities. The elderly are increasingly adamant that the government should not provide health insurance -- despite their fondness for Medicare, a federal program. (Ehrenfreund, 3/19)
