Minority lawmakers want President Obama to take into account the gap in quality health care available to Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and others as he puts together his plan to overhaul the U.S. health care system. They are calling for public health care funding, similar to Medicare, that includes dental and mental health benefits and other programs that will improve the quality of care for poor minorities. 

Today over 47 million people lack health insurance in America and although racial and ethnic minorities account for about one third of U.S. population, they account for more than half of the uninsured,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee (D-CA). “The Congressional TriCaucus stands together and speaks with one voice to demand health care reform NOW, and to demand an end to the factors that perpetuate racial and ethnic health disparities in this country.”

The group of  legislators, part of a coalition called the Congressional TriCaucus made up of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, held a rally on Capitol Hill yesterday.

The push for expanded public funding has the support of a majority of Congressional Black Caucus members and other progressive lawmakers in the House and Senate. However, some Black lawmakers do not back the plan and Conservatives in the House and Senate, already critical of Obama’s decision to implement universal health coverage, will definitely oppose it.