HHS to Address Health Disparities
by Jeff Porter
On June 29, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") released draft rules for collecting and reporting information on race, ethnicity, sex, language and disability status. In addition, for the first time, HHS will be collecting information on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals. The collection of health information is aimed at reducing health disparities in minority populations. According to the report
The Economic Burden of Health Inequalities in the United States, the cost of health inequalities and premature death resulting from those inequalities in minority populations was approximately $1.24 trillion dollars between 2003-2006.
The new rules proposed by HHS are aimed at identifying and collecting information on the health disparities facing minority populations. The research will then be used to target specific treatment and care solutions to underserved and minority populations.
View the proposed regulations.
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