Illinois has more severe racial and ethnic health disparities compared to other states in the Great Lakes region, according to a report released Wednesday by The Commonwealth Fund.  [Health News Illinois]

Black people experienced the lowest health system performance in Illinois, scoring in the 33rd percentile nationally. Illinois ranked 24th out of 39 states for the population.

Meanwhile, Illinois ranked 13th out of 46 states and the District of Columbia for health system performance for Hispanic people, with the state scoring in the 45th percentile. 

It ranked 4th out of 31 states on health system performance for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations, scoring in the 96th percentile.

Illinois ranked 22nd out of 50 states and the District of Columbia for health system performance for white people, scoring in the 81st percentile.

The report did not rank Illinois for its American Indian and Alaska Native population due to insufficient state data.

The report said that racial and ethnic health disparities exist in every state — and warns that recent federal policy changes are expected to deepen them.

“These changes include Medicaid funding cuts and tightened eligibility, restrictions barring most legal immigrants and asylees from marketplace and Medicaid coverage, and the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits in the marketplaces,” it said. “It is highly likely they have already worsened existing disparities and are on track to widen them further.”

It suggests that policymakers look at investing in social services, strengthening primary care, lowering administrative burdens and ensuring affordable health insurance coverage.

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