 National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C. Vol. 31, No. 15 * August 9, 1999 Previous story | Table of Contents | Next story Bureau looking for partners in health access By Kevin Wilcox
Counties are leading the way in breaking down barriers that keep the poor and minorities from health care and the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) wants lend technology and expertise to help, according to Dr. Regan Crump, associate deputy director. "We in the Bureau of Primary Health Care are outraged that there are people who don’t have access to health care," Crump told members of NACo’s Health Steering Committee. "Forty-three million Americans are without health insurance. That’s not acceptable." Crump said that the BPHC’s new goal is 100 percent access, zero disparity. An example of disparity can be found in life expectancy, Crump said. African American males in Washington D.C. have a life expectancy of just 50 years; Asian American women in New Jersey have a life expectancy of 90. "Communities are doing something about it, and we are going to stand by them," Crump said. Sedgewick County, Kan.; Hillsborough County, Fla.; and El Paso County, Texas are other examples of county programs that are making a difference, Crump said. "These programs show two things," Crump said. "First, counties are leading the way. Second, they’re all doing things differently. The common theme is the leadership from the community." The BPHC is looking for counties to build partnerships to build more programs in more communities. "If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get what you’ve always got," Crump said. |