Washington, DC – The National Health Law Program cheers the reintroduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA) of 2024, a critical, comprehensive, and strategic roadmap to address and help eliminate health care inequities experienced by communities of color.
“The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2024 represents a crucial opportunity to comprehensively fight the vast racial health inequities that mark the U.S., as well as their intersections with xenophobia, sexism, ableism, ageism, and classism,” said Madeline T. Morcelle, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program. “HEAA builds upon the Affordable Care Act’s achievements through groundbreaking reforms such as closing Medicaid’s immigrant and post-pregnancy coverage gaps; establishing Medicaid doula payment models among other payment and service delivery innovations that center racial health equity; and strengthening data collection and access to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care. HEAA also recognizes that we cannot achieve racial health equity without a federal right to abortion that includes Medicaid coverage. The National Health Law Program urges Congress to pass this vital legislation.”
Since 2003, the Congressional Tri-Caucus, composed of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, has reintroduced HEAA. CAPAC is championing HEAA’s reintroduction for the 118th Congress. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CAPAC Health Task Force Co-Chair) and Senator Mazie K. Hirono are the lead sponsors. Over the last decade, more than 150 Members of Congress have co-sponsored HEAA.
Since its inception, over 300 racial and health equity organizations, community-based organizations, researchers, and provider groups have contributed to HEAA’s development as part of the Community Working Group. The National Health Law Program is proud to serve on the Community Working Group and chair the Title V committee, which centers on promoting racial health equity in the contexts of sexual and reproductive health and children’s health.
