A coalition of 33 progressive, civil rights, and multicultural organizations sent a letter to Congress and the Biden administration outlining new guidelines to elevate health equity.
The effort was organized by the Health Equity Collaborative (HEC) and brought together a diverse coalition, including the National Consumers League, Easterseals, National Hispanic Medical Association and Black Women's Health Imperative.
"Improving the health of America's underserved communities demands that lawmakers address the root causes of inequality," said Amy Hinojosa of the MANA Action Fund, a national Latina advocacy organization that builds multicultural, collaborative networks to advance equity. "We look forward to engaging with lawmakers to find strategic solutions to decades of systemic disparities. Progress is being made, but our work is just beginning in earnest."
The letter prioritizes a range of guidelines to effectuate long-lasting change. They include:
- Expanding healthcare coverage by strengthening the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces and creating additional opportunities to enroll.
- Bolstering funding for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and requiring the USDA and HHS to adapt the "one-size-fits-all" Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which disregard the needs of different populations.
- Recognizing that cost-effectiveness metrics, including Quality-Adjusted Life Years, are inherently discriminatory and contribute to racial health disparities.
- Reforming the drug-supply chain and introducing government oversight to ensure that Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) share savings directly with patients.
- Redirecting resources from failed policing and mass incarceration systems toward mental health care that helps address the lasting harm caused by racially-charged violence and discrimination.
"The guidelines we put forth address systemic issues that have long plagued vulnerable American families," said Jason Resendez, head of the LatinosAgainstAlzheimer's Coalition of UsAgainstAlzheimer's. "As the pandemic laid bare, inaction on health inequities can be fatal."
"The moment calls for a sustained commitment from lawmakers," said Tammy Boyd, Chief Policy Officer & Senior Counsel of the Black Women's Health Imperative. "By embracing these guidelines, lawmakers can stand with us in the fight for health equity -- and help ensure better outcomes for future generations."
About the Health Equity Collaborative:
The Health Equity Collaborative is a national coalition of organizations that fights for underserved and underrepresented communities in the healthcare sphere. The Collaborative promotes health equity, diversity, and inclusion through an intersectional, holistic approach and fights for social justice and representation in the policymaking process.
To learn more: visit www.healthequitycollaborative.org