Racial and ethnic health disparities persist throughout the U.S. health care system. Measuring differences in access and use of services, satisfaction with and quality of care, and health outcomes can help to better understand the underlying causes of disparities and how to address them. In this issue brief, we use data from the 2016-2022 Association of American Medical Colleges Consumer Survey of Health Care Access to compare the demographics, health status, quality of care, and including experiences and satisfaction with provided care, provider concordance, and perceived unfair treatment and discrimination of adults covered by Medicaid by race and ethnicity.
There were many similarities across racial and ethnic groups, and there were also some differences in key measures of access to care and health care experiences. Overall, 68.1 percent of individuals reported having a usual source of care, and over 80 percent of individuals reported being able to get care when they needed it, being satisfied with the care they received, and having positive experiences with their provider. However, Black, non-Hispanic and Hispanic individuals were less likely to report having a usual source of care and more likely to receive care at a clinic, health center, or hospital emergency room compared with white, non-Hispanic individuals. Further, Black, non-Hispanic; Hispanic; and Asian, non-Hispanic individuals were all more likely than white, non-Hispanic individuals to report experiencing unfair treatment and discrimination during their most recent medical visit.
