WASHINGTON - Talk of racial disparities in health care had been largely left out of the national debate until today, when more than 200 people gathered for the HCAN Health Equity Town Hall at the U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center. Grassroots leaders from diverse backgrounds representing every corner of the nation took part in the town hall with members of Congress and heard compelling testimony highlighting the ways in which health care consistently falls short.

“Inequalities in health care have persisted for decades in our communities,” said G. Smith, associate director of the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations (NWFCO). “And it’s not just one or two diseases - research shows that people of color have consistently faced higher rates of sickness and mortality than whites across a broad spectrum of illnesses. These disparities constitute a crisis, one that deserves the attention of health care providers, policymakers and communities alike. This must end now. One clear step is to establish a robust public insurance plan to make sure everyone has access to health care.”

Organizers presented a series of recommendations to address racial disparities including expanding and strengthening safety net programs, and building a larger, culturally competent and diverse health care workforce. The recommendations, coupled with personal testimony, will be instructive for our political leadership as they return to work on passing a comprehensive health care reform bill.

Dr. Ben Danielson, medical director for the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Seattle shared his experience working in the front lines of the city’s racially and culturally diverse central area. Dr. Danielson has taken measures to address linguistic and cultural barriers to health in his clinic, but recognizes that it will literally take an act of Congress to really get at the root of the problem.

“All people have a right to lead a healthy life. Health should never be about how much you earn, what race you are, or where you were born,” said Dr. Danielson. “Health is important for an entire community, and making sure all of us are getting the health care we need is one of the most important things we can do as a country. We are calling on Congress to take action to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in health care reform.”

Majority Whip James Clyburn and Reps. Xavier Becerra of California , Raul Grijalva of Arizona , Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Lucille Roybal-Allard of California were present at the HCAN Health Equity Town Hall . The town hall was part of a massive day of action, called “Health Care 09 - We Can’t Wait,” whose central event was an 8,000-person rally and lobby day for quality, affordable health care for all.