New federal data shows that black and Hispanic people had a harder time getting the care they needed in 2014 under Medicare Advantage, including access to prescription drugs.
The report showed that Asians and Pacific Islanders received similar or better care than white people, while other minorities received care that is either similar or worse.
Medicare Advantage is a popular program that enables seniors to get private health plans subsidized by Medicare.
A federal survey found that 73 percent of whites gave the best possible score for questions on getting appointments fast and the best possible care. But just 69 percent of blacks and 66 percent of Hispanics reported the best possible score, according to data released Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Among Asian people, however, 79 percent reported the best score.
A disparity also existed on getting needed care, as 87 percent of whites said they got needed care, including from specialists, compared to 85 percent for Hispanics and 84 percent for blacks.
Asians scored nearly 87 percent, according to CMS, which cited data from the 2014 Medicare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey.
Blacks and Hispanics both scored slightly higher than whites on only one question: whether their doctor communicates well.
On the question of who gets needed prescription drugs, about 91 percent of whites gave the highest possible score, compared to 88 percent for Hispanics, 90 percent for blacks, 87 percent for Asians and 85 percent for Pacific Islanders.
High drug prices have became a pressing issue for most Americans, and several polls highlight it as a big problem.
Administration officials said they will work to address the disparities, but didn’t know why they occurred.
“These data are a good first step in understanding disparities in Medicare Advantage,” said Sean Cavanaugh, CMS deputy administrator, in a statement. “We look forward to working with plans in closing the differences in the quality of care that people with Medicare Advantage receive.”
