This February is Black History Month. While we have made much progress in rectifying the historic inequities facing Black Americans, there is still much work to be done. Under President Biden, the Department of Health and Human Services has made major investments to improve health outcomes for Black Americans. They include:
Lowering the cost of prescription drugs by having Medicare negotiate prices: Congress and President Biden have finally made this a reality thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. Several of the initial ten drugs that are subject to cost savings under the program are disproportionately used by Black Americans.
Capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month and making recommended vaccines free: Capping the cost of insulin benefits over 150,000 Black Medicare Part D enrollees.
Record low rates of uninsured: Thanks to increased cost savings from the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, a new record of 21.3 million people signed up for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, driving the uninsured rate down to its lowest number in history.
$468 million to improve maternal health: America’s rate of infant mortality is unacceptably high, especially among Black babies. The nearly $500 million investment will help improve health outcomes for Black infants.
Ensuring nondiscrimination in health care: DHHS has proposed new rules to strengthen federal requirements against discrimination, including on the basis of race, in health care.
We are grateful for the work of the Biden Administration to ensure quality health care for all Americans and address discrimination against Black Americans in our health care system.
###
