Minorities in Tennessee will have less access to health care services and poorer health outcomes as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Institute study.

"What we've found through this study is that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will most likely have a favorable outcome on access to insurance coverage," said the study's lead author, Dr. Steven Coulter, president of the institute. "However, it will not necessarily translate to actual access to medical care for several reasons."

The study found that despite President Obama's health care overhaul and its effort to reduce or eliminate the disparity in coverage by race, increased demand for care will lead to longer wait times at health care facilities that are already operating at capacity. In particular, access to care in the west and east regions will be of greatest concern.

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