The state has assembled a work group of top health professionals to come up with ways to reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic groups, Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown announced Thursday. The seven-member panel, to be headed by Dr. E. Albert Reece, dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, will identify new legislation and financial incentives that can be used to bring equality to healthcare. While studies have shown the overall life expectancy in the United States has improved, there are still large differences between the health of minorities and that of whites.