Healing the Health Care System: Asian American Voices for Health Care Reform, produced by Project CHARGE (Coalition for Health Access to Reach Greater Equity) (2010)

During this time of growing numbers of uninsured and skyrocketing costs of health care, the passage of the historic health care reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872), will dramatically improve the state of health care for the United States. Efforts to pass health care reform rose up from a growing discontent from health consumers and providers alike about the challenges they face in getting and providing health care. Consumers too often have been shut out, confused, and frustrated by our complex and fragmented health care system. Throughout the country, many have come together to share their stories, concerns, opinions, and have shaped the health care reform debate.

This report presents key findings from a series of  community health care discussions of Asian American  community members in New York City. The top 3  concerns expressed by the 128 participants included  costs, language barriers, and lack of education and  outreach efforts targeting the community.

Based on these findings, the report also provides  a summary of how particular provisions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872) impact the Asian American community in 8 key areas:  

affordability, expansions in coverage and care, immigrant inclusion, language access, consumer protections/assistance/outreach, disparities, safety net, and state commitment. 

The community health care discussions were developed, conducted, and analyzed by Project CHARGE (Coalition for Health Access to Reach Greater Equity). Project CHARGE is a New York City based collaborative of 15 organizations devoted to improving healthcare access for Asian Americans through capacity building and health policy advocacy. In 2008, Project CHARGE became 1 of 12 grantees in 10 states funded by Health Through Action (HTA), a national initiative organized by the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support local community-based projects working to reduce health disparities among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. 

While many improvements and benefits will be garnered from the passage of the health care reform legislation, there is still a long road ahead to ensure a truly inclusive and accessible health care system in which no one is left out.