National Business Group on Health and HHS Office of Minority Health Launch Initiative to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

WASHINGTON, DC, February 11, 2008 – The National Business Group on Health (NBGH) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health (OMH) today announced a new two-year effort to strengthen ongoing partnerships and build new business-community coalitions to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities and improve the quality of health care for minority populations.

This collaboration is part of the National Partnership for Action, a broader effort by HHS and OMH to bring continued national emphasis on ending health disparities. The NPA is designed to mobilize and connect individuals and organizations across the country to create quality health outcomes for all people.

We must find more effective and far-reaching strategies if we are to succeed in reducing the toll health disparities take on our health, well-being and productivity," said Garth Graham, M.D., M.P.H. deputy assistant secretary for minority health, Office of Minority Health. "The creation of new partnerships with business and other sectors that are impacted by these critical health issues is vital, and that is what we have begun today."

While some employers have already developed initiatives to reduce health disparities, the new NBGH/OMH partnership plans to facilitate alliances between business, medicine and public health organizations to improve the quality of health care for racial and ethnic minority populations, while promoting beneficiary health and employee productivity.

"We encourage employers to make sure their health care benefits and health improvement programs meet the needs of a culturally diverse workforce," said Helen Darling, president of NBGH. "Our alliance with OMH supports our commitment to raise awareness about the health and cost repercussions of these disparities and to provide employers with information and practical strategies to assess and reduce racial and ethnic health disparities within their workforce."

At the heart of this public-private partnership is the creation of a disparities advisory board comprised of some of the foremost leaders in American health care, including Ron Davis, M.D., president of the American Medical Association; Audrietta Izlar, manager, Corporate Human Resources, Verizon; K. Andrew Crighton, M.D., vice president/chief medical officer, Prudential Financial; and Sarah Scholle, Dr. PH, assistant vice president for research and analysis, National Committee for Quality Assurance.

The board will oversee NBGH's plans to update its analysis of the business case for addressing health disparities, identify best practices for the business community in addressing racial and ethnic disparities among their workforces, and develop a toolkit to assist employers in implementing best practices.

"This collaboration between business, the medical and public health communities is vital if we're to eliminate barriers to equal care," said Audrietta Izlar, manager, corporate human resources for Verizon and chairman of the new disparities advisory board. "At Verizon, we believe innovation drives solutions, and this initiative will surely lead to solutions as other employers join the call to action to end disparities in health care."

Research has revealed disturbing differences between the health status of majority and minority groups in the United States. On average, racial and ethnic minorities are in poorer health, suffer worse health outcomes, and have higher rates of sickness and death than their white counterparts, regardless of economic and health insurance status.

About the National Business Group on Health

The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit, membership organization of large employers devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health care and related benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. For more information about the Business Group, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org .

About The Office of Minority Health

The Office of Minority Health aims to accelerate HHS' health impact in the U.S population and to eliminate health disparities for vulnerable populations as defined by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geography, gender, age, disability status, risk status related to gender, and among other populations identified to be at-risk for health disparities. For more information, visit www.omhrc.gov/npa.