Center on Health Equity & Access

Medicare Advantage enrollees, particularly Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander decedents, use less end-of-life home health care than those enrolled in traditional Medicare.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD, (R, Louisiana) holds a key vote on Robert F. Kennedy Jr's HHS Secretary confirmation. When Cassidy asked for a strategy on Medicare and Medicaid, Kennedy could not provide one.

Although long-term nursing home stay or death decreased before the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend slowed during the pandemic across all racial and ethnic groups.

Prolonged immigration detention is significantly associated with worsened self-rated health, along with high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mental illness.

The renewal for the ninth straight year includes McKesson's latest measure for resolution of health-related social needs.

Young patients with cancer residing in historically redlined areas face a significantly higher risk of mortality, demonstrating that structural racism contributes to disparities in survival outcomes.

Amazon Pharmacy's RxPass program shows promise in boosting medication adherence and reducing costs, according to a study.

Highlights from last week include President Trump's executive orders, the FDA approval of esketamine nasal spray for depression, mental health access through Medicaid Managed Care, the impact of travel time on surgical outcomes, and life expectancy disparities.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the author of a study published in the January 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® to examine the association between quantitative network adequacy standards and mental health care access among adult Medicaid enrollees.

Life expectancy gaps in the United States have widened dramatically over the past two decades, with disparities across racial, ethnic, and geographic lines reaching a staggering 20.4 years by 2021.

President Donald Trump's initial executive orders target previous efforts to reduce health care costs, pandemic preparedness, and international partnerships, showing a stark contrast to the Biden administration.

Analyzing patients' travel time to receive emergency surgical services provides valuable insights that can inform policy reform and address the needs of rural communities.

Esketamine (Spravato; Johnson & Johnson) is now the first and only monotherapy for adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with inadequate response to at least 2 oral antidepressants.

Among publicly insured children with mental health–related encounters, racial and ethnic disparities in telemental health use widened following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Center on Health Equity & Access provides news and expert insights on research, health policy, and the impact of social determinants on health.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is strongly linked to smoking, with about 80% of lung cancer deaths attributed to tobacco use.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the widespread adoption of telemental health care, and new research indicates significant racial and ethnic disparities in access to this technology among Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia.

An increased public interest and support for medication abortion following the federal Supreme Court ruling, particularly among marginalized groups, suggests a shift towards more accessible and autonomous models of abortion care.

In part 2 of our interview with Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD, she speaks to the importance of ensuring health care accessibility and of knowing that the health care system is not a one-size-fits-all arrangement.

The study found significant disparities in the exposure to contaminants. Communities with higher percentages of Hispanic and Black residents were not only more likely to have unregulated chemicals in their drinking water, but they were also more frequently located near pollution sources.

The health equity impact of the polypill is significant; by effectively controlling cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in populations with limited health care access, there's potential to reduce income- and race-related health disparities.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) can now participate in National Blood Donor Month under the FDA's updated guidelines, marking a crucial step toward addressing blood shortages and promoting inclusivity.

Jessica Tracy, head of Growth and Partnerships at Enthea, shares how employers and unions can support mental health and address access barriers to evidence-based ketamine treatments.

Some populations face significant disparities in accessing lung cancer screening facilities, with American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN)-majority and rural census tracts facing the greatest travel distances.

New research examines how ethnicity impacts colorectal cancer diagnosis, early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) prevalence, and stage at diagnosis.