For the first time, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released data on the racial disparities reported by Medicare Advantage patients.
Despite advances in healthcare access, increases in spending, and improvements in quality over the last decade, there is well-documented evidence that members of racial and ethnic minority groups continue to experience worse health outcomes, CMS said.
The data in disparity of care for eight patient experience measures shows that in seven areas, Asians and Pacific Islanders rated their experience in scores worse than that of whites, compared to five areas for Hispanics, three areas for blacks and only two areas for American Indians and Alaska natives…Healthcare Finance News
The CMS report surveyed customer service responses in a variety of categories. In categories of how easy it is to get needed care; getting needed prescription drugs; and getting information from their health plan about prescription drugs, whites gave the highest ratings, according to the survey.
In a question of getting appointments and care quickly; getting customer service from a health plan; and care coordination, American Indians/Alaska natives gave the highest scores. Blacks gave the highest score when asked how well doctors communicate with them. Asians and Pacific Islanders gave the highest score in a question of getting an annual flu vaccine.
“These data are a good first step in understanding disparities in Medicare Advantage,” said Sean Cavanaugh, CMS deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicare. “We look forward to working with plans in closing the differences in the quality of care that people with Medicare Advantage receive.”
Achieving Health Equity will also be the topic of a Congressional forum later this week, hosted by House Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats in partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).