Mobilizing the New Majority: Health Care Reform and People of Color
Speech by Wade Henderson on October 5, 2009 at the announcement of the Health Equity For All initiative.
Good morning. I'm Wade Henderson, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the nation's oldest, largest and most diverse civil and human rights coalition. At The Leadership Conference, we believe that access to quality health care is a fundamental civil right for everyone in America. We also believe that securing that right is inextricably linked to the unfinished work of creating true equal opportunity in American life.
When a health crisis can bankrupt a family, there can be no economic justice without access to quality and affordable care. When poor health can keep a child out of school, there can be no equal educational opportunity without access to quality health care. When high unemployment has a disproportionate impact on people of color and the poor, access to health care is further compromised and the goal of equal opportunity suffers another blow. As you can see, there is a continuous cycle, passing from generation to generation, in which poor health and the denial of quality healthcare conspire to keep poor and minority families from achieving the American dream.
Before he died, our good friend Senator Ted Kennedy, who devoted his life to the fight for justice, equality and civil rights, spoke of having "new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American -- north, south, east, west, young (and) old -- will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege."
The negotiations taking place now on Capitol Hill and in the White House are bringing us closer to realizing that hope than we've ever been. But it's also clear to us that we are not there yet. The guarantee of a fundamental right to quality health care won't mean anything if the reform legislation leaves out millions of Americans.
For instance, we at the Leadership Conference are concerned about the so-called "free rider" provision in the Senate Finance Committee bill that would provide a significant financial incentive to employers to fire or not hire low-income workers who qualify for government health insurance subsidies. This provision is not only counterproductive, but also discriminatory since these workers are far more likely to be women and people of color.
It's also essential that the legislation not introduce new discrimination in both employment and health care, but it must also deal with existing discrimination. There must be a strong and enforceable anti-discrimination provision in the bill.
We can – and must – do better.
The kind of health care reform that we're seeking is guided by two overarching principles:
- First, that no one should have to go without health care because of insufficient income; and
- Second, that the system should be patient-driven, not profit driven.
We also believe that the final health care reform package should include four essential components:
- First, there should be a robust public option to ensure accountability and competition;
- Second, reform should include specific and tangible steps to aggressively eliminate racial disparities in health care;
- Third, there should be complete access and coverage for all legal residents; and
- Fourth, to achieve the cost efficiencies that we all know are necessary, reform should include programs and plans to promote cultural and linguistic competence throughout the system.
A health care reform package that reflects these principles and includes these components will bring us closer to the ideal that Senator Kennedy spoke of, and that our country deserves. We are on the verge of an historic moment, but history doesn't happen on its own. That's why it's so important that the voices of our constituencies are heard and heeded when critical decisions are made in Washington that affect the future health and well-being of all Americans.
As we get down to crunch time, we believe that this discussion and our media campaign will help these voices be heard in the halls of Congress and at the White House. And we look forward to continuing the dialogue with members of Congress and the Administration.
