Health Equity & Access Weekly Roundup: March 13, 2026

Post-Dobbs Abortion Bans Raised Birth Rates and Strained Food Aid Program

States that enacted total abortion bans following the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization experienced measurable increases in both births and participation in federal nutrition assistance programs, according to new research. The study by University of Kansas economist Lilly Springer found that the 13 states with full abortion bans in place by early 2023 saw a 1.57% increase in monthly birth rates, amounting to roughly 1210 additional births per month or about 14,500 extra births in 2023. The rise in births was accompanied by greater enrollment in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), with participation among postpartum nonbreastfeeding women increasing 4.3% and enrollment of fully formula-fed infants rising 2.1%, adding an estimated $6.9 million in food costs across affected states. The analysis used a synthetic difference-in-differences approach comparing states with a ban with similar states that maintained abortion access. Although birth increases were observed across education levels, WIC growth was concentrated among lower-income mothers. Researchers noted that because WIC operates under a fixed congressional budget rather than as an entitlement, rising demand could strain program resources.

V-BID Summit 2026 Highlights Value-Based Care and Equity With CMMI Director

At the 21st annual Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID) Summit hosted by the University of Michigan on March 11, 2026, leaders explored strategies to improve health care affordability, drug access, and outcomes through innovative payment models. In a fireside chat, Abe Sutton, director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) and deputy administrator at CMS, emphasized increasing health system productivity and expanding value-based payment models as key to lowering costs and improving access. Sutton highlighted several CMMI initiatives, including models tied to international drug-pricing benchmarks, such as Most-Favored-Nation approaches; programs to expand access to therapies like GLP-1 medications and sickle cell treatments; and payment structures that reward outcomes rather than services. He also discussed models encouraging the use of digital therapeutics and artificial intelligence through outcome-based incentives. Overall, Sutton framed these initiatives as part of a broader effort to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Medicare and Medicaid while promoting more equitable, high-value care.

CRC Disparities Point to Urgent Research, Prevention Needs: Rebecca L. Siegel, MPH

In an interview discussing the recent “Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026” report published in the American Cancer Society journal, lead author Rebecca L. Siegel highlighted persistent racial, ethnic, and geographic disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality. She noted that Alaska Native populations experience the highest CRC rates worldwide, though the causes remain unclear due in part to limited research funding; potential factors include smoking, a diet high in animal fat, and vitamin D deficiency. Higher CRC rates among Black individuals are linked to both greater exposure to risk factors and reduced access to preventive care and high-quality treatment. Geographic differences in insurance coverage, screening access, and risk behaviors such as smoking also contribute to disparities, with policies like Medicaid expansion influencing screening availability. Siegel emphasized that reducing the national CRC burden will require increased research funding, greater public and clinician awareness of rising cases among younger adults, improved access to screening, and prevention efforts targeting modifiable risk factors such as smoking, obesity, diet, and physical inactivity.

When Routine Care Is Out of Reach, Latino Adults End Up in the Emergency Department

Latino adults who delayed or skipped physical or mental health care due to cost had 78% higher odds of visiting an emergency department (ED) within the past year, according to new research. The analysis of 17,344 Latino participants in the National Health Interview Survey (2019–2024) showed that 16.9% reported delaying or forgoing care because of cost, with substantially higher rates among those who later used the ED. Higher ED utilization was also associated with factors such as being female, having lower educational attainment, relying on public insurance, reporting poorer health, and living in nonmetropolitan areas, whereas foreign-born Latino adults had lower odds of ED use than those born in the United States. The findings highlight persistent insurance and access gaps among Latino populations despite improvements under the Affordable Care Act and suggest that financial barriers to routine and preventive care may drive greater reliance on costly emergency services, underscoring the need for policies that expand affordable access to care.

Panel Emphasizes Need for Accessible Preventive Care During V-BID Summit

At the 2026 V-BID Summit, experts discussed strategies to expand access to evidence-based preventive care, highlighting policy, legal, and implementation challenges. Speakers, including Susannah Bernheim, MD, MHS, the chief quality officer and acting chief medical officer at the CMS Innovation Center, outlined how CMS payment models are increasingly emphasizing prevention—such as nutrition, physical activity, and patient engagement—through initiatives like Accountable Care Organization (ACO) partnerships and new funding programs. Panelists also examined the implications of the Braidwood v Kennedy decision, which upheld requirements under the Affordable Care Act for insurers to cover recommended preventive services, preserving access to screenings and other preventive benefits. In addition, Robert Smith, PhD, senior vice president of early cancer detection science at the American Cancer Society, emphasized the importance of maintaining high cancer screening rates and improving follow-up care and guideline clarity. Overall, the panel stressed that strengthening preventive care will require coordinated efforts across policy, payment models, clinical practice, and legal protections to ensure services remain accessible and effectively implemented.