The Latino Coalition Launches Health Care Task Force

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- The Board of Directors of The Latino Coalition (TLC) today announced the launching of its Latino Health Care Task Force to be chaired by Dr. Josh Valdez, senior vice president, Health Care Management, WellPoint West Region. Dr. Valdez previously served as Western Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The launching and first meeting of the Task Force will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 25 at the offices of The Latino Coalition, located at 707 Fifth Street, S.E. in Washington, D.C.

“The Task Force’s main purpose is to identify prevalent Latino healthcare issues, such as: financing, accessing and receiving quality care, disparities in care received, challenges in receiving care in native language(s), and lack of sufficient disease management and education,” Dr. Valdez said. “The Task Force will formulate effective strategies and action plans; and determine legislative, resource, and other barriers that could negatively impact strategies and action plans. The Task Force will provide strategic recommendations on improving the delivery of healthcare to the U.S. Latino community to both President Bush and congressional leaders.”

“We have assembled 17 prominent healthcare leaders, academicians, policymakers, leaders of community based organizations, corporate representatives and small business leaders to help us study and design strategies to help improve the health care needs of the U.S. Hispanic community,” said TLC President Robert G. Deposada. “It is unacceptable that a Hispanic is three times as likely to be uninsured in this country, and as such ends up suffering the consequences of poor access to quality health care. This Task Force will be able to formulate an aggressive strategy to address our particular needs and concerns, and make sure that Congress and the Administration acts on them.”

The Latino Coalition is a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, D.C. TLC was established to address policy issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States. TLC’s agenda is to develop and promote policies that will foster economic equivalency and enhance overall business, economic, and social development of Hispanics. For more information please visit the Web site at http://www.TheLatinoCoalition.com.

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Martha Lozada

Media Contact

The Latino Coalition

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