Medicaid And SNAP Advance Equity But Sometimes Have Hidden Racial And Ethnic Barriers

Authors

Leighton Ku, Leighton Ku (lku@gwu.edu), George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

10-1-2023

Journal

Health affairs (Project Hope)

Volume

42

Issue

10

DOI

10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00994

Abstract

Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were developed during the Civil Rights era to help poor people and reduce racial and ethnic differences in health care access and food security. Although the two programs have succeeded in narrowing health and nutrition disparities, certain policies hinder goals of racial and ethnic equity, even though they do not explicitly mention race or ethnicity. These policies, including administrative policies (such as work requirements) and more basic decisions about whether to cover immigrants or expand Medicaid, can create barriers that promote racial and ethnic disparities, contrary to the programs' underlying goals.

APA Citation

Ku, Leighton, "Medicaid And SNAP Advance Equity But Sometimes Have Hidden Racial And Ethnic Barriers" (2023). GW Authored Works. Paper 3668.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/3668

Department

Health Policy and Management