WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today praised Senate passage of his resolution, S.Res. 187, to bring attention to the severe health disparities affecting minority populations in our nation such as African Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Hispanics, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. Co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mark Begich (D-AK), the bipartisan measure unanimously passed the Senate.
“I want to thank Senators Murkowski and Begich for joining me to promote greater awareness of health disparities in our nation. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Minority Health confirms that African American children have a 60 percent higher prevalence of asthma than white children, Native Americans and Alaska Natives are 2.3 times as likely to have diabetes as whites, and Asian/Pacific Islander men and women have three times the incidence of liver and IBD cancer as whites,” said Senator Cardin.
The Senator added: “Some of these differences are attributable to lower rates of insurance coverage. Minorities constitute one-third of America’s population, but half of the uninsured. But even when you factor in insurance coverage and income, studies have shown that minority patients receive lower quality health care.
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Ben Cardin - United States Senator for Maryland Press Contact: Susan Sullam, 410-962-4436 509 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC, 20510
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