FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Media Contact: Yvonne Lee |
STATEMENT OF HO TRAN ON BEHALF OF
THE ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN HEALTH FORUM,
IN RESPONSE TO THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
San Francisco, CA-HO L. Tran, M.D., M.P.H., President and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), a San Francisco based national health policy advocacy organization, released the following statement:
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum was one of 17 national Asian Pacific American organizations which developed a national policy platform Call ForAction for adoption by the Democratic and Republican parties. We are encouraged that the Democratic National Convention today adopted its policy platform which recognizes accessible and high quality health care as the Party's commitment. Health care has remained a top domestic concern of Americans across political and racial lines. While 14% of whites are without health insurance, 21% of Asian Pacific Americans are uninsured. Language and cultural barriers continue to pose major obstacles for obtaining high quality care for Asian Pacific Americans, with 27% of Asian Pacific Americans reporting difficulty in communicating with their physicians, compared to only 19% of the total population. We are also pleased that the Democratic platform contained several positions that APIAHF had recommended, such as: 1) eliminating health disparities based on race and ethnicity by addressing the language and cultural barriers and increased research and training; 2) lowering prescription drug costs to increase benefits for seniors; 3) expanding health care coverage for children and strengthening the Medicaid program to assist working families; and 4) supporting mental health equitable treatment legislation which would ensure equal treatment for mental health .
We remain concerned that the platform did not specifically address our recommendation for restoration of health benefits to legal immigrant families who had lost their right to services as a result of the passage of the 1996 welfare reform act.
We look forward to the release of the Republican Party's health platform next month and we strongly urge both political parties to work with the Asian Pacific American community in addressing the health care needs of all Asian Pacific Americans regardless of immigration status.
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum is a national health policy andadvocacy organization headquartered in San Francisco with an office in Washington, D.C.Ho L. Tran, MD., MP.H. is President and CEO.
