New Report Highlights Health Equity Challenges Facing Employers

Many Americans covered by employer-sponsored health plans face significant gaps in diagnosis and disease management across race, ethnicity, and income levels, according to a new analysis from Morgan Health.

The most significant disparities appear to be associated with income differences, while others vary by race and sexual orientation, even when controlling for other factors.

• Black enrollees were 15.6 percentage points more likely than white enrollees to have uncontrolled high blood pressure.
  
  
• Black, Asian, and Hispanic enrollees with low-risk pregnancies were more likely to undergo more costly C-section deliveries than their white counterparts.
  
  
• Plan participants with incomes below $50,000 were 7.1 percentage points more likely than high income enrollees to visit emergency departments.

“The business community has a responsibility to understand and recognize these disparities, and more importantly, act to eliminate them. This will require active engagement with health plans and providers to close gaps and improve health outcomes” said Dan Mendelson, Morgan Health CEO.

HR Policy members will explore the future of health equity, wellbeing, and DE&I on a panel at the September Washington Policy Conference. Members can register for the conference and see the full program agenda here.