March 25, 2021 - This morning, AHIP submitted testimony to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for its hearing on "Examining Our COVID-19 Response: Improving Health Equity and Outcomes by Addressing Health Disparities."
Here are the highlights:
"Every American deserves affordable, high-quality care and health coverage regardless of health status, race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability. For years, health insurance providers have been committed to improving health equity and combating social factors, like food insecurity and poverty, that can reduce health in our communities."
"Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, health insurance providers have innovated, built new service delivery models, and partnered with service providers and the communities we serve to deliver critical resources to people experiencing greater health and social needs during this challenging time. Recognizing the inequities exposed during the COVID-19 crisis, AHIP has launched several initiatives with our health insurance provider members to address inequities."
"Health insurance providers' commitment to overcome social barriers to improve health expands well beyond COVID-19. We understand that many social barriers in every-day life play a large role in personal health and health outcomes. These factors include limited access to healthy foods, reliable transportation, health care services, and unsafe or unstable housing. For years, health insurance providers have developed community-specific solutions to address these social barriers -- from investments in local neighborhoods to innovative community improvements and direct assistance for individuals and families."
Our experience shows that the commitment and actions of businesses can greatly improve health equity. We also recognize that new policies are essential to meaningfully and sustainably improve health care access for communities most underserved. Those policies include
- Strengthening access to care for underserved populations through Medicare Advantage.
- Medicaid expansion, HCBS funding and extended postpartum coverage.
We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to promote equity and improve health outcomes for all Americans.
