U.S. Rep. Joaquín Castro, D-Texas, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell will address the state of the country's health care system at the State of Enrollment Conference in Washington, D.C. late next week.

Secretary Burwell & Congressman Castro to Keynote

Organized by Enroll America, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that has helped increase health care enrollment through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Burwell will first keynote the State of Enrollment Conference on May 12, where she is expected to share her insights about the ACA and its future. The following day, Castro will keynote the conference. Castro's attendance will be significant due to his post as congressman of Texas, which is among the three dozen states that have yet to adopt the ACA, and as a Latino, a population that has the highest uninsured rate in the country.

"We are excited to have, for the third year in a row, national and local leaders of the healthcare enrollment coalition be part of our State of Enrollment Conference to meet all in one place and share what has worked to maximize the number of Americans with quality, affordable health insurance," said Enroll America spokesperson Annette Raveneau to Latin Post.

The State of Enrollment Conference will include various, yet specifically crafted, sessions such as engaging the youth population, increasing Latino outreach, streamlining enrollment through technology, strategizing on enrolling farmworkers into the ACA and familiarizing the health care law's exemptions, penalties and taxes.

In addition to Castro, several guests are lined up to further speak and discuss the ACA's impact toward the Latino community, including The Children's Partnership President of Mayra Alvarez and League of United Latin America Citizens (LULAC) Executive Director Brent Wilkes.

"The future of health care enrollment will bring new challenges to reach the remaining uninsured and make sure the newly insured retain their coverage," said Raveneau, adding, "Enroll America's conference has been the ideal gathering where enrollment assisters and community leaders from around the country can interact and learn from each other as we work towards this mission together."

The State of Latinos & Obamacare

Based on data released in March, the HHS revealed 20 million Americans have gained health insurance coverage as a result of the ACA's first provisions went into effect in 2010, including 6.1 million millennials between the ages of 19 and 25.

Within the Latino community, the ACA helped the uninsured rate drop from 41.8 percent to 30.5 percent. Since 2010, approximately four million Latino adults gained insurance. Despite the declining uninsured rate, Latinos still represent the largest uninsured demographic in the U.S.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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