According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (reported in the October 3rd issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), African Americans, Hispanic and Native Americans with a disability report fair or poor health at disproportionately higher rates than white or Asian Americans with disabilities. Reports of poor health among minority adults with disabilities were far greater than among the non-minority disability population.

It is not surprising that minorities with disabilities have worse health statistics than their counterparts who are white. Almost all minorities face severe disparities in all areas of health care, which translates to lack of adequate insurance coverage, poor health outcomes, and higher incidence of disease and mortality. For instance, minorities are less likely to be diagnosed with cancer at early stages, resulting in higher rates of cancer deaths. These disparities are not new, and the adequate community has worked tirelessly over the years to solve this moral dilemma. There are dozens of community-based organizations in New York State whose sole mission is to eradicate health disparities for minorities in this state.

Having a disability and also being a member of a minority community only compounds the problem. Living with a disability of any type or degree means facing health disparities that no one else will face. Institutional bias, complicated public health insurance programs, and lack of accessibility in the health care world are all obstacles that get in the way of people getting and keeping the care and services they need. Physicians’ offices are often not wheelchair accessible or lack the proper medical equipment to assess and treat people who use wheelchairs and other assistive devices. Securing reasonable accommodations is often burdensome, even though the ADA dictates that no one can be barred from any setting or service in this country because of a disability. Medicaid and the other public health insurance programs are rarely consumer-friendly and require a higher level of comprehension than even the most literate among us do not have. Navigating the complicated system of getting what you need when you have a Medicaid card in your pocket (in addition to the other cards you need for the services that are not covered by the plan you’re in) is nearly impossible. Legal assistance organizations are constantly flooded with cases of people not able to get what they need, when they need it.

Officials and staff in the State Health Department have heard from the advocate community that “the system” does not always work the way they think it does. They believe that aside from the occasional mishap, all New Yorkers have and get what they need in the health care arena. We know this is not true. People with disabilities who have poorer health are not the outliers; they are the norm. This is completely unacceptable. CDR and Medicaid Matters have consistently fought for complete accessibility in all health care, and will continue to demand that our voices be heard on this crucial issue. There is no reason why people with disabilities should have poorer health than any other New Yorker.