It should come as no surprise that inconsistent and inadequate access to quality preventive care is what’s driving these numbers. According to the SEIU/NCBM report, while 21 percent of white Americans were uninsured at any point in 2002, about 28 percent of African Americans and 44 percent of Hispanics faced the same plight. The disparate quality of care is even more telling. A growing pool of evidence shows that even with similar insurance and income levels, black and Latino patients are less likely to receive the same life-extending and life-saving procedures as White patients (Institute of Medicine, 2003b).

In the words of Dr. Vaughn Whittaker, an SEIU member and Chief Resident at Harlem Hospital in Manhattan who has blogged about healthcare divisions, “it’s these extremes—the huge disparities in the delivery of care—that truly define the U.S. healthcare system.”

But today, in the wealthiest nation in the world, these growing divisions are simply unacceptable.

Of course, there is hope. Today, in an historic Presidential election when the prospects for meaningful reform are greater than ever, the SEIU/NCBM report outlines key steps that can make healthcare inequity part of the conversation about reform:

1. Universal access to health insurance—while it will not eliminate the problem on its own, it’s still the most important step toward eliminating healthcare disparities. 2. Improve access to high quality care—increase the number of culturally competent healthcare providers in communities of color by offering trainings and providing incentives; consistently collect and monitor data on racial and ethnic health disparities. 3. Grow the movement of healthcare voters—empower people to advocate for reform.

We’re facing an historic opportunity to make a meaningful overhaul of our broken healthcare system. Leveraging its 1.1 million members, SEIU Healthcare (the healthcare arm of SEIU) has identified 4.6 million healthcare workers in 18 battleground states. We’re going to use our strength to galvanize these workers, make sure they are registered to vote and get them to the polls on Election Day. And after November 4, SEIU will spend $50 million in the first 100 days of the new Congress to ensure that we pass meaningful healthcare reform that is universally accessible, comprehensive and equitable to everyone.

The race is on, and more than ever, we have a chance to reform shape a system that meets all our needs. It’s high time the wealthiest nation in the world become the healthiest nation in the world—not just for a lucky few, but for every man, woman and child, regardless of the color of their skin.

- Tekisha Everette, SEIU, Senior Legislative Advocate for Healthcare

Note: On June 19th SEIU joins groups across the country in our celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the day African slaves received notice of the Emancipation Proclamation. Often celebrated as a day African Americans focus on improving life in their communities, SEIU is honoring Juneteenth this year by calling attention to health disparities. Check out the website, to learn more about SEIU’s activities to ensure healthcare equality is a centerpiece of reform.