Center on Health Equity & Access

Pharmacy deserts affect 1 in 7 Americans, and hospital-owned specialty pharmacies can help close the gap in medication access.

Re-engagement strategies for hepatitis B show promise in the US, but data gaps and structural barriers are slowing progress toward WHO elimination targets.

Shields Health Solutions is collaborating with Baptist Health to launch an integrated onsite specialty pharmacy at Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center.

State data reveal 2026 ACA marketplace enrollment losses are accelerating post open enrollment, as cancellations surge and affordability pressures mount after tax credits expired.

Rural America has 44% fewer health care workers per capita than urban areas, with psychologists and physicians hit hardest.

Four experts examine what updated dietary and obesity guidelines mean for diabetes care, and why personalized, equitable nutrition is now essential.

Two new studies reveal how social determinants shape cognitive risk in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, complicating the path to prevention.

New review guides hair loss care for transgender and gender-diverse patients, detailing how androgenic alopecia interacts with hormones and key therapies.

Cancer trauma, drug pricing claims, abortion cost gaps, insurance denials affecting 1 in 5, and food insecurity's economic toll top this week's roundup.

Middle socioeconomic status (SES) elevates multimorbidity risk; healthy lifestyles mitigate this. Targeted interventions for middle-SES populations, especially middle-aged non-Hispanic White women, are crucial.

Men and urban minority patients with early-onset CRC face elevated CVD death risk, highlighting gaps in survivorship care and research, Meng-Han Tsai, PhD, said.

Structural racism was associated with wider NSCLC survival disparities, with a 10-point Black-White gap in highly segregated counties.

During a White House briefing, Mehmet Oz, MD, discussed the expansion of Trump Rx and crackdowns on duplicate ACA enrollment and fraudulent hospice programs.

An AI-driven review of oncology trials reveals that diversity progress over 30 years is largely an illusion driven by Asian enrollment growth.

Alexa Simon Meara, MD, MS, discusses breaking down silos between academic and community oncology to improve immunotherapy care and irAE management.

Coverage denials delay care, drive patients into debt, and erode trust in insurers—yet nearly half of affected patients never appeal.

The authors describe Medicare Advantage plans that screen for and provide supplemental benefits addressing social needs and explore how these benefits meet communities’ social needs.

Heat-attributable CVD burden could reach 418 DALYs per 100,000 by 2050 under high-emissions scenarios, with low-income counties hit hardest.

Even spending just 5% of income on medical costs raises food insecurity risk by 80% for families with children, study finds.

A cross-sectional study of online financial documents among hospitals in linguistically diverse core-based statistical areas found that nonprofit and system-affiliated hospitals have superior language access.

Trauma after cancer is underdiagnosed and often persists into survivorship, with experts urging trauma-informed screening in oncology care.

New CMS Medicaid work requirements could increase employment but may also cause millions of adults to lose coverage by 2027.

Abortion costs and Medicaid coverage vary by state, creating financial barriers for patients seeking care after the Dobbs v Jackson decision.

Accountable care offers one of the most promising frameworks for stabilizing and expanding access, but only if policy is intentionally designed to support rural participation.

Food insecurity among working-age US adults has significant economic consequences, primarily driven by increased job instability and income insecurity.