Healthcare

 

Americans have gained significantly from the ACA, even if they may not realize it. People with pre-existing conditions can get a health plan in the individual market. Young adults can stay on their parents’ plans. Moderate income families qualify for subsidies so they can afford private coverage and pay their out-of-pocket costs. Poor, working families can depend on Medicaid so they can stay employed. More people are getting care, and, importantly, preventive care.

Across the country, 29.8 million people would lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act were repealed—more than doubling the number of people without health insurance. And 1.2 million jobs would be lost—not just in health care but across the board.

Publications

Data for the People

  • December 31, 2022
  • Tyler Mac Innis, Janet Bauer, Nhi Nguyen

All Oregonians deserve to live in dignity — to enjoy economic security and the possibility to thrive. This is doable. Oregon, after all, is a prosperous place, with enough resources for everyone to live well.

But for a vast number of Oregonians today, economic security feels like an impossible dream. At a time when the income of the richest Oregonians has reached record highs, many low-paid Oregonians can’t afford basic necessities such as food, housing, and health care. Economic insecurity afflicts Oregonians of all races. As a result of an economy designed to benefit the white and wealthy, it is especially pronounced among Black, Indigenous and other Oregonians of color.

Data for the People provides the latest publicly-available data on the economic well-being of Oregonians. To better reflect the realities of particular communities, wherever possible we break down data by race and ethnicity using Race, Ethnicity, Language, and Disability (REAL-D) categories developed by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). For more information about this process, as well as data sources used throughout, see our detailed methodology.

The data make clear the need for Oregon to create an economy that is more equitable in its prosperity. OCPP’s Action Plan for the People lays out a policy roadmap to shift the economic system to benefit all Oregonians, not just the wealthy few. We invite you to explore this data set.

Publication

The Critical State Of Black Women’s Health

The state of Black women’s health is in critical condition, due to the systemic racism, discrimination, and implicit bias that Black women face within the health care system. To combat the intersecting factors that create an inequitable health care experience for Black women, the following aggressive strategies must be implemented.

  • Create policies with an intentional racial equity lens
  • Continue expanding Medicaid benefits, including postpartum coverage
  • Integrate health care access into public schools
  • Ensure technological accessibility for Black families
  • Increase the number of Black professionals in the medical field
  • Improve the quality of care for Black women

This report, which is an extension of the previously published brief by the same name, will provide an overview of the multifaceted issues contributing to the status of Black women’s health. It will also highlight health policy areas that require urgent attention and immediate intervention. Lastly, it will offer health policy recommendations targeting the institutions, systems, and previous legislation that have both intentionally and inadvertently harmed Black women’s overall health.

Our goal is to help inform Arkansans of health policy issues impacting Black women and to create partnerships with other community stakeholders in Arkansas to help increase access to health care and improve the well-being of all Black women. Policymakers, health care providers, and community-based organizations must work together to address the health care inequities that plague Black women.

Publication

Immigrants’ Experience with Medicaid Enrollment: Challenges and Recommendations

Medicaid enrollment can be a daunting process for many people—both U.S.-born New Yorkers and those who are foreign-born. It is even more challenging for those that don’t speak English, don’t have access to a computer, or those who do not understand the complicated health insurance system in the United States.

To better understand the difficulties that immigrants face when enrolling for Medicaid, we interviewed 20 immigrants from across New York State to uncover the challenges that may arise for these community members. To ensure a sample that engages a range of immigrant experiences, we interviewed New Yorkers from different countries, living in different parts of the state, and with different immigration statuses—including refugees, New Yorkers with Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), Victims of Criminal Activity (U-visa), and undocumented individuals, some of whom are eligible for state-funded Medicaid as “PRUCOLs” (Persons Residing Under Color of Law) or through emergency Medicaid.

Publication

Four Ways New Jersey Can Improve Health Care Using American Rescue Plan Funds

As state budget discussions come to a close this month, New Jersey lawmakers and advocates alike should turn their attention to the ways that the American Rescue Plan (ARP) can complement the state’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget. The ARP, signed into law by President Biden in March, includes expansions to food assistance, housing support, unemployment benefits, tax credits for working families, and health coverage to ensure a full and strong recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.