Advancing Health Equity During National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

During May, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) recognizes National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month.

Throughout this month, and the entire year, CMS OMH is working to highlight disparities for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders who account for more than 7% of the U.S. population, with Asian Americans being the fastest-growing race group in the United States. Between 2017 and 2019, the population of Asian Americans enrolled in Medicare grew by 11%, which was the highest percentage increase in enrollment compared to White, Black, and Hispanic enrollees.

However, nearly one-third of Asian Americans have limited English proficiency. CMS OMH’s Coverage to Care (C2C) initiative is working to close health literacy gaps and eliminate barriers to health care by helping AANHPI enrollees understand their health coverage and connect to primary care and preventive services. C2C resources are available in multiple languages—including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese— to help individuals make informed decisions and become active partners in their health care and the health care of their families.

As the number of AANHPI Medicare enrollees grows, we are working to ensure these populations can effectively access the health care they need through policy and equity initiatives. Throughout the month of May, CMS OMH encourages you to share the below resources with the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations you serve.

Resources:

• Review the Understanding the Health Needs of Diverse Groups of Asian and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Medicare Beneficiaries data highlight, which includes data on self-rated general health status, days with activity limitations, prevalence of depression and obesity, and sleep health in AANHPI populations.
• Download the C2C Roadmap to Better Care, which explains what health coverage is and how to use it to get primary care and preventive services. The Roadmap to Behavioral Health, which highlights mental health and substance use services is also available for download. Both resources are available in 9 languages, including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
• Share the C2C Enrollment Toolkit designed to support community partners, assisters, and others who help consumers enroll in health insurance coverage or change their health plan.
• View the Asian American, Native Hawaiians, & Pacific Islanders Fact Sheet, which includes population data and trends in this population’s health insurance coverage.
• Read the Medicare & You handbook in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander webpage to find behavioral health resources specific to these populations.

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