Colorado expanded its essential health benefit benchmark plan to enhance coverage for those seeking gender-affirming care, effective January 2023. This expansion is the first of its kind to be approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
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HHS released a Spanish version of QuestionBuilder, an app that helps patients and caregivers prepare for their in-person or telehealth appointments, along with a report on Latino patients' access to care.
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The agency seeks input, information, and recommendations from stakeholders on equity assessments and strategies, barrier and burden reduction, procurement and contracting processes, financial assistance, and stakeholder and community engagement.
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As we reflect on today’s events, we look ahead to the opportunity to come together as a nation, acknowledge the structural and systemic challenges we still face, and continue the hard but necessary work of building a more just and equitable society.
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The Office of National Drug Control Policy outlines the Biden administration's drug policy priorities for 2021, including expanding access to evidence-based treatment and prevention services, advancing racial equity, reducing supply of illicit substances, and advancing recovery-ready workplaces.
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A new White House Gender Policy Council, established via executive order, will coordinate efforts to advance gender equity and equality across executive departments and agencies.
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The Joint Commission's latest Quick Safety newsletter offers recommendations to ensure equitable care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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President Biden released an executive order to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. The order calls for a special enrollment period on the federally facilitated exchange for uninsured or underinsured individuals — particularly those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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In his first week in office, President Biden released multiple executive orders of note to essential hospitals, including those related to COVID-19, health equity and nondiscrimination, and immigration.
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CDC reports that airborne transmission is rare but possible; a framework includes recommendations for equitable vaccine allocation.
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This informational brief describes the impact of structural racism on patients, providers, and communities, as well as what essential hospitals and other organizations are doing to combat structural racism.
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The no-cost workshop will explore the benefits and challenges of promoting upstream interventions to improve population health and health equity.
view more »Essential hospitals nationwide work to make their facilities more inclusive for all. The MetroHealth System, in Cleveland, launched its Pride and Kidz Pride clinics to offer an array of services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning patients of all ages.
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The new road map recommends policies and practices providers can adopt to promote health equity and eliminate disparities.
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This project, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will help essential hospitals develop, implement, and evaluate population health programs, overcome barriers, and collaborate with community partners.
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The Essential Hospitals Institute has compiled a compendium of tools that might be useful to essential providers as they pursue health equity goals.
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Hospitals should stratify data and reduce language barriers to improve equity, thought leaders say in new report.
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The proposed rule extends nondiscrimination provisions to individuals based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The proposed rule also includes requirements for access for people with disabilities and limited English proficiency.
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Policy Assembly Messaging Materials Now AvailableNew association materials include messaging on Medicaid DSH, Medicare, risk adjustment for sociodemographic status, 340B, and more.
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Document, developed by association's policy advisory committee, demonstrates essential hospitals' commitment to and promotion of care equity, and supports risk adjustment for sociodemographic status in certain quality improvement measures
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The association advocates for a modification of the direct pay prohibition to allow states to pursue public policy goals while implementing Medicaid Managed Care
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The social determinants of health are a critical topic for essential hospital providers - learn more from this avid researcher's perspective.
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Recent journal articles curated from Health Affairs and the New England Journal of Medicine highlight payment reform programs and strategies and the impact of socioeconomic status on readmissions.
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Natividad Medical Center launched a program to ensure patients who speak indigenous languages receive the highest quality health care possible.
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A recent National Quality Forum draft report discusses whether performance measures used in accountability applications, such as pay-for-performance or public reporting, should be adjusted for socioeconomic factors when determining results; share your comments.
view more »In new commentary, association president and CEO explores historical roots of care disparities, calls on all hospitals to take up fight to improve health care equity
view more »The commitment and work by America’s Essential Hospitals and its members to improve equity is nothing new. Last week, the Essential Hospitals Engagement Network (EHEN) hosted its third webinar as part of its Health Equity Series. The webinar featured Dr. Alexander Green, who spoke on using TeamSTEPPS communication training to improve patient safety for patients with limited
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Two essential hospitals discussed the implications of low health literacy and tools for improvement
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Encourages Congress to consider legislation to address "yawning gaps" in access to care for millions of people
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Participants learned how to identify race, ethnicity, and language disparities in health care
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Recognizes work to promote well-being in minority communities, reduce disparities in care, and ensure access to care for all
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MetroHealth residents research the root causes of disparities and potential interventions
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