Congressional Hispanic Caucus Hosts Latino Healthcare Roundtable
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragán and Vice Chair of Policy Darren Soto hosted a roundtable on Latino healthcare with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu, CHC members, and community stakeholders from various parts of the country.
During the roundtable, attendees discussed the most pressing healthcare issues affecting Latino communities across the country, including lack of access to services, language barriers, immigration status concerns, and socio-economic factors. According to the National Institute of Health, Latinos are more likely to be uninsured compared to other racial and ethnic groups, limiting preventative care and timely interventions.
“Ensuring Latinos have equal access to quality and affordable health care is essential for the well-being of communities across the country,” said Chair Nanette Barragán. “Yesterday’s roundtable allowed us to engage directly with health care industry leaders and stakeholders to foster new ideas and strengthen understanding of the core issues that must be addressed. The CHC will continue to work alongside Congressional Leadership and the Administration to increase health equity and expand much-needed health insurance to families.”
“In Florida, we have 3.2 million people on the Affordable Care Act exchange — the largest in the country. Earlier this year, we led the charge to secure a special enrollment period for those affected by the end of pandemic-related Medicaid coverage. As we work to protect that and other programs from cuts, it is critical for us to connect with our local healthcare providers and advocates to address issues and find solutions together,” said Vice Chair of Policy Soto. “In Central Florida, we’re working to increase the amount of insured Latino families, bring jobs in healthcare to Latinos, and break down barriers that hinder individuals from seeking care.”
“I was honored to join the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for this important conversation about health care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services works tirelessly to expand access to quality, affordable health care for the Hispanic community,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm. “That work is made possible by the leadership and advocacy of the CHC. I look forward to our continued partnership in shaping a health care landscape that is truly inclusive.”
In addition to Chair Barragán and Vice Chair of Policy Soto, the following CHC members were present at the roundtable:
- CHC Vice Chair of Member Engagement Tony Cárdenas
- CHC Freshman Representative Andrea Salinas
- Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia
- Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D.
The roundtable was also attended by the following community stakeholders:
- Ben D'Avanzo — Senior Health Policy Strategist, National Immigration Law Center
- Maite Arce — President & CEO, Hispanic Access Foundation
- Lucie Arvallo — Senior Policy Analyst, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice
- Adolph P. Falcon — Executive VP, National Alliance for Hispanic Health
- Mauricio Agudelo — CFO, Vital Salud, LLC
- Berenice Núñez Constant — SVP Government Relations, AltaMed Health Services
- Esther Rojas — Program Manager, Migrant Clinicians Network
- Jose L. Plaza — Director, Northeast Valley Health Corporation
- Ysabel Duron — Founder/Executive Director, The Latino Cancer Institute
- Alvaro Zarco — Legislative Affairs Advisor, UnidosUS
- Geoffrey Leung — Public Health Officer, Riverside University Health
- Elena Rios, M.D. — President/CEO, National Hispanic Medical Association
- Ngozi Ezike, M.D. — President/CEO, Sinai Chicago
- Janelle Dunn — CEO, True Health
To access the livestream of the roundtable, please click here. For photos of the roundtable, please click here.
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