Uninsured: 36% of Hispanics, 22% of African Americans, 17% of Asians, 13% of whites

Lack of Insurance Hits Us All | By Michelle Singletary | Sunday, March 16, 2008; Page F01
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"I feel bad because I can't afford health care, but I can't afford health insurance, either," said Gomez, whose newborn son, Edward, is covered by Medicaid. "What am I going to do?"

The fact that 47 million people -- 9 million children -- in this country are uninsured has been one of the top issues in the presidential campaign. Equally troubling is this statistic: The lack of health-care coverage is most acute among Hispanics and African Americans, many of whom work in low-wage jobs without benefits or are employed by small businesses that don't offer coverage.
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Thirty-six percent of Hispanics are uninsured, compared with 22 percent of African Americans, 17 percent of Asian/Pacific Islanders and 13 percent of whites, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's most recent analysis of census data.
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Lavizzo-Mourey said minorities, who disproportionately suffer from chronic illnesses, often avoid getting critical screening or skip treatment because they lack health insurance. She shared the story of Ruth, a diabetic African American in her 50s who came into a clinic with an ulcer on her foot. By the time she sought help, she needed more care than the clinic could offer.