Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services granted more than $14 million to help eradicate health care disparities for the underserved, unemployed and minority communities.

From 2003 to 2006, $229.6 billion was the estimated U.S. cost of direct and indirect racial and ethnic disparities in health care, according to a recent study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. By establishing health plans that reduce disparities, costs can be lowered.

Aon Consulting, the global benefits and human capital consulting business of Aon Corporation, offers the Culturally Competent Health Care program, which is designed to eliminate existing disparities in employer-sponsored plans. The program includes a series of questions used to evaluate cultural competency, Aon Consulting says. The data can be used by employers to select a health plan that matches financial, diversity and inclusion objectives. Additionally, the data can measure the provider's improvement based on agreed-upon goals.