Leading Hispanic spokesperson , seniors' wesite Publisher cite alarm over Hispanics lacking health insura

St. Louis, MO— Dr Gema G. Hernandez one of the leading experts on aging and cultural competence issues in the U.S., and Daniel Hines, publisher of www.TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com, a leading informational web site for America’s seniors say that the large number of Hispanics/Latinos lacking health care or unable to receive competent health care is an issue that demands the immediate attention of our nation if we are to avoid the national health care crisis fast approaching.

According to findings of the 2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a study conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Hispanics comprise 15 percent of the nation’s population, but account for almost 29 percent of the uninsured.

Additionally, more than one in three Hispanics is uninsured and 25 percent has only pubic health insurance. Also, Hispanics constitute 36 percent of all uninsured children under 18.

This is particularly important because there are 41 million Hispanic/Latinos in the US. This number will continue to increase twice as fast as any other culturally distinct group in this nation.

The problems for the Hispanic/Latino communities are threefold. 1) Not enough culturally competent health care providers 2) the inability to afford health insurance and 3) the cost of prescription drugs says Dr. Hernandez.

While the majority of Hispanics/Latinos are insured (one in three is not) they lack health care
intervention techniques that are appropriate to their cultural interpretation of health, illness and
prevention is an important barrier. This is one of the reasons why the morbidity and mortality rates among Hispanics/Latinos is still much higher that the general population, notes Hernandez.

To cure the existing lack of cultural competence among health care providers, we need to add the difficulties facing the 25% of the Hispanic//Latino population who are not insured, says Dr. Hernandez. The majority of these individuals falls under the classification of working poor.

For both the insured and the uninsured the cost of prescription drugs is another barrier that the Hispanic community is facing, creating a very negative prognosis for the largest cultural distinct group inour nation today, Hernandez concludes.

“The problems of the un- or underinsured for the nation has a whole are magnified within the Hispanic community,” notes Dr. Hernandez, a former Secretary of Aging for Florida who resigned in protest over policies of Governor Jeb Bush, the President’s brother. She left her post after publicly disagreeing with Governor Jeb Bush' policies on Medicaid reforms and on procedures to monitor government contracts. Dr. Hernandez. was the first Hispanic to serve in the capacity of a Secretary of a state department in Florida.

The problems of the un- and underinsured are magnified within the Hispanic/Latino communities across the nation. The lack of access to health care facilities and medicines creates a health problem for everyone and exposes our elders and children to a variety of illnesses that could break into a national epidemic, notes Dr Hernandez.




Dr Hernandez acts as a consultant, professor and public speaker on issues ranging from caregiving, managed care and healthcare. She writes the popular column
Empowering Seniors, a regular features on www.TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com

Hines reinforces Dr. Heranandez’ position, explaining that the challenges facing the nation’s un- and underinsured are not adequately addressed by Bush Administration policy, and that cuts in Medicaid across the nation will likely compound the problem.

Dr. Hernandez and Hines say that the lack of affordable prescription drugs and the inability of Medicaid recipients to obtain the most appropriate medicine for their conditions aggravate the situation. This is why they are in support of legislation that allows the sales of prescription drugs from outside the United States.

”We call upon Majority Leader Senator Bill Frist to follow his own demands for up or down votes to allow Senate proponents of prescription drugs from outside the US the same rights as he demands for his particular issues. Senator Frist, as a doctor should recognize more than others the importance of prescription drugs in health maintenance, and the fact that bills such as those introduced by Senators Dorgan and Snowe, and Senator Vittert can relieve some of the financial burden upon the un- and underinsured.”

Dr. Hernandez and Hines also urge that providing health insurance for all Americans become a priority for the country’s political leadership.

”Failure to act will lead to a national health care crisis affecting millions of our citizens,” they said in a joint statement.