Articles and Publications

Browse through our library of 21 articles, viewable in PDF format. Plus, you can scroll down on this page for excerpts from Congressman José E. Serrano.

The Latino Disparity in Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the 41.2 million uninsured in the United States are Latino despite the fact that Latinos compose only 13% of the population... download article...

Health Insurance and Expenditures Among Low-Wage Workers in New York City: Describes the characteristics and health expenditures of low-wage workers in New York City and estimates the health care bill associated with these workers... download article...

Gaps in Coverage and Care for Minority Adults: In 2005, as in previous years, Hispanics had the highest uninsured rate of all working-age adults. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of Hispanic adults -- an estimated 15 million people -- were uninsured... download article...

Immigrants In The U.S. Healthcare System: Five Myths That Misinform the American Public. Politicians concur that immigrants in the US are a burden on our healthcare system... download article...

Separate and Unequal: Medical Apartheid in New York City: Black and Latino New Yorkers are more than twice as likely as whites to be uninsured, or to receive Medicaid or other public insurance. As a result, people of color face more barriers to accessing high quality care... download article...

Impacts of Health Care Reform: Projections of Costs and Savings: The non-partisan National Coalition on Health Care is the nation's largest and most broadly representative alliance of major organizations working together for system-wide health care reform... download article...

New York State Partnership for Health Coverage: Moving Toward Universal Healthcare Coverage: On behalf of Latinos for Healthcare Equity, I wish to thank Governor Spitzer and Commissioner Daines for their commitment to moving towards universal health coverage in New York... download article...

Unequal Access: Immigrants and U.S. Health Care: Despite the important role that immigrants play in the U.S. economy, they disproportionately lack health insurance and receive fewer health services than native-born Americans... download article...

Raul Yzaguirre Letter of Support, Arizona State University Center for Latino Health: I want to congratulate Latinos for Healthcare Equity for being honored with the distinguished Dr. Helen Rodriguez-Trias Service Award... download article...

One Health Insurance, for All, for Life: All over this country the crisis in our healthcare system is a burning issue, and people are demanding that politicians resolve it. There are 47 million people without health insurance - 14 million are Hispanic... download article...

Market-Based Failure — A Second Opinion on U.S. Health Care Costs U.S. health care expenditures rose 6.7% in 2006, the government recently reported. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, total health care expenditures exceeded $2.1 trillion, or more than $7,000 for every American man, woman, and child... download article...

Congressman José E. Serrano
Representing the Sixteenth District of New York

Excerpts of Serrano Healthcare Remarks
As Prepared for Delivery at Latinos for Healthcare Equity Forum

The Bronx, NY - September 15, 2007 - The following are excerpts of Congressman José E. Serrano's remarks on health care as prepared for delivery.

"I truly appreciate Latinos for Healthcare Equity's fight to ensure that every man, woman and child in America receives quality healthcare. Your unyielding dedication to achieving this necessary goal is commendable and I hope you will continue your important work on behalf of those in need.

"Like you, I believe that the crisis of our uninsured is a national problem, requiring a national solution. Healthcare should not be viewed as a luxury but a basic human right.

"In New York City, more than 1 million of our neighbors are without medical coverage-18 percent of whom live right here in the Bronx.

"That solution, I believe, is a health insurance system - publicly financed, privately delivered - available to everyone in this country.

"Census data reveals that one third of all Latinos in the U.S. are without medical coverage, and twenty percent of blacks and Asians are in the same situation.

"The proportion of uninsured minorities in this country has increased from forty-two percent to fifty three percent in the past twenty years. It is also estimated that almost 80 percent of all undocumented immigrants are without health insurance.

"Sadly, these are the groups that have the greatest need for care, as they disproportionately suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and asthma.

"And we are not only talking about the uninsured, the middle class in America is also feeling the pain. Higher premiums, deductibles and co-payments are encouraging people to delay seeking health care; so that when they finally do see a doctor are often so ill that the costs associated with their treatment can be astronomical.

"I am a co-sponsor of HR 676, the 'U.S. National Health Insurance Act.' This legislation would improve upon the existing Medicare program, extending coverage to all U.S. residents, including those residing in U.S. territories.

"HR 676 would cover every person in the U.S. for all necessary medical care, including prescription drugs, hospital, surgical, outpatient services, primary and preventive care, emergency services, dental, mental health, home health, physical therapy, rehabilitation (including for substance abuse), vision care, podiatric, chiropractic and long term care.

"In addition, the legislation would end deductibles and co-payments which take so much out of workers' pay checks. It requires every employer to contribute only their fair share, based on their payroll, toward the cost of the system.

"Finally, the measure would help curb skyrocketing health care costs, while simultaneously giving every man, woman and child without medical coverage a new lease on life.

"Recent polls show that a majority of Americans want a national, federally guaranteed health care system for everybody. Despite this fact, policy makers on the other side of the issue refuse to explore ways to expand coverage.

"In fact, last week, the Bush Administration rejected New York's application to allow more middle income families to participate in the State Children's Health Insurance Program, opting instead to adhere to guidelines that will limit this important program's scope; a move that will only result in more uninsured children.

"A majority of Americans are uncomfortable with the idea that children are suffering from preventable illness. A majority of Americans are uncomfortable with the idea that the security of so many families is under threat because a person's health often lies beyond her or his financial grasp.

"We are on the right side of this issue, on the majority side, and so we must remain vigilant in our push for a better way to care for this nation.

"People need to be given hope that a long life is not only possible - it is what our country wants for its people.

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Congressman José E. Serrano has represented the Bronx in Congress since 1990.