HHS Office of Minority Health Releases Implementation Progress Report of Disparities Action Plan

Implementation Progress Report

of the HHS Disparities Action Plan

The Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the implementation of the HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (HHS Disparities Action Plan), has released the first Implementation Progress Report of the HHS Disparities Action Plan, which details HHS’s efforts to address disparities in health and health care among racial and ethnic minorities. 

These efforts, covering 2011 through 2014, include addressing disparities in coverage and access to care, improving the quality of care, enhancing the diversity and cultural competency of the workforce, advancing community-based approaches to promote health and wellness, improving the quality and availability of data collected and reported on minority populations, and furthering research on racial and ethnic health disparities.  

The Implementation Progress Report also highlights HHS’s commitment to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities and HHS’s efforts to strengthen our nation’s capacity to address health disparities and advance health equity.

The HHS Disparities Action Plan, which was released in 2011, is a comprehensive federal commitment to addressing health disparities. As the United States continues to face significant racial and ethnic health disparities, the HHS Disparities Action Plan provides a coordinated framework for HHS agencies and offices to heighten the impact of the agency’s policies and programs to reduce health disparities. The Affordable Care Act, one of the most significant laws since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid that will help to reduce health disparities, provided the foundation for the HHS Disparities Action Plan.

View the HHS Disparities Action Plan and the Implementation Progress Report for more information.