Visana Health’s Post

📊 Commonwealth Fund’s 2024 Scorecard reveals major gaps in women’s health care across the United States. The report shows that while states like Massachusetts are leading in health care performance, others, such as Arkansas and Texas, are struggling with significant gaps. ❓ Why this matters ❓ These disparities are a wake-up call for urgent reform in our health care policies. Every person, regardless of where they live, deserves to have access to quality health care services. #HealthCare #WomensHealth #Equity #ReproductiveCare https://lnkd.in/etPc9k7U

Summary: Some healthcare systems are taking steps to address health inequities, recognizing that disparities in care can lead to added costs for racial and ethnic minorities. Programs focused on community outreach and partnerships are being implemented to empower patients and improve health outcomes. Health inequities were found to have cost the US economy $451 billion in 2018, emphasizing the need for action. Creating effective health-equity programs involves building trust through community engagement and addressing social determinants of health. Takeaway: Healthcare systems are increasingly recognizing the economic and moral imperative of addressing health inequities. By embedding equity programs in their strategies and focusing on community outreach, these systems can improve outcomes, build trust, and create economic value. Hashtags: #HealthEquity #HealthcareDisparities #CommunityOutreach #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #RacialInequality

https://lnkd.in/e-SD48M5. Women's healthcare is not the same in every state in the U.S. This latest study shows, again, why there needs to be a focus on women's health and women's health research. No matter your political viewpoint, I don't think we want our moms, our sisters, our friends, our colleagues at major risk because of lack of health resources or knowledge. We can and must be positive disruptors so that all women get equitable healthcare at every age: 18 to 90+. #gw4wvoice #womenshealth #healthcareequity

We know that in today’s changing and uncertain healthcare environment, many healthcare professionals struggle to serve the more than 31 million Americans relying on public health centers to get essential care, because they can’t reliably access the cost-effective products they need. Rising healthcare costs and the 2022 SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade underscore the urgency of collective action. “We” – across public, private, government and other sections – must work together towards increased access to preventative reproductive healthcare. Join us - https://lnkd.in/eXeTm4MA #HealthcareEquity #PublicHealth

Following EPA2024, we are reflecting on the pressing issue of health inequality, as discussed by Abbey Child in her talk on Tuesday.   Healthcare inequality can take many forms, from geographical differences in access between countries to funding challenges for rare disease treatments and even a disparity in health burden between different ethnicities. As part of the talk Abbey highlighted some key initiatives which have aimed to level the playing field, like the “Standing in the Gaap” initiative launched by BMS in 2015.   Moreover, we saw the theme of health inequality come up repeatedly in presentations and conversations across the conference, highlighting its ongoing importance in the market access space. One example comes from the opening plenary, where Dr Claus Runge of Bayer spoke on their newly established Global Health Unit and the 100 Million by 2030 initiative, which aims to provide access to essential medicines to > 1 billion people living in LMICs and to provide 100 million women in LMICs with contraception by 2030, respectively. Another excellent talk was delivered by Jayasree Iyer, CEO of the Access to Medicines Foundation, who explained how their new ‘Access to Medicines’ index is being used to rank how manufacturers make their medicines available, encouraging important conversations around equity in the industry.   As we strive towards equity for the large majority, we will increasingly encounter a need to support equity in smaller groups of patients, particularly as advanced therapies continue to penetrate the market.    Thank you to all who attended the talk. You can find the slides from the discussion on our website, https://lnkd.in/dJdg4Yq8 Furthermore, many thanks to all those stakeholders from the industry and elsewhere who sought us out afterwards to discuss the issues we raised!   Much more work is needed on this issue, but we are proud to be part of the conversation on raising awareness and being a key voice in communicating unmet medical needs in underserved populations.   #HealthcareEquity #MarketAccess #EPA2024 #HEOR

The political consensus in the UK is now that trans people (and especially trans women) must be exploited as a sinister threat around which politicians and newspaper editors can concoct baseless fears with absolutely no political or commercial risk to themselves. Trans people comprise less than 1% of the UK population, so voters or readers are often ill equipped to be able to call out lies based on their personal knowledge of a trans person. They must turn to second hand opinion, or supposition, or commentators, or prejudice, to form a view - all landscapes where the political/media classes can (and do) work to stimulate fear and hatred. Attempts to introduce segregation in healthcare for trans women are a great example of all this in action. There have been no - that's right no - recorded incidents of a complaint against a trans woman in a female hospital ward in England and Wales (according to well over a hundred FOI requests), whilst guidance on keeping ACTUAL men out of women's wards was breached hundreds, if not thousands, of times in 2023 due to overcrowding and hospitals lacking space. Overcrowding - to be 100% clear - caused by underinvestment in the NHS by the Conservative government. Likewise there is a real issue of female NHS staff at threat of violence, including sexual violence, from ACTUAL men on hospital premises - for clarity, that's men who are cisgender, identify as men, are in no respect trans. One outcome of these proposals is that trans people, already receiving dreadful healthcare in many respects, and already often fearful when they need to contact the NHS anyway, will simply refuse to attend hospital. If they are going to be treated this way - quarantined because of their 'essential dangerousness', or even worse, accommodated with patients of the opposite gender - they will simply avoid the whole system. As a result, they will not get treatment they need and be denied something that all other UK citizens regard as a right. Some will die. I have heard some trans women say that they would rather die than be treated this way. The political response? A shrug at best, or - from some of the worst people ever to be elected, who now sit in the UK Parliament - some genuine satisfaction I believe. The number of lies told and smears spread about trans people in the UK is completely out of control. That the Labour Party is joining in is, tragically, no surprise. Decency and honesty and ethics in political life seem like distant and obsolete concepts. And bigotry against trans people is a cross-party pastime, just as homophobia was in the 1980s. Read Nancy Kelley's piece for a clear takedown of the Health Secretary's grotesque attack on trans women - one of many at last years Conservative Party Conference. And share my nostalgia for a country where facts and humanity played a role in political decision making, rather than prejudice and ideology.

Must continue to improve women's health holistically.

As the 2024 election approaches, health policy is a key battleground between President Biden and former President Trump, with stark contrasts in their approaches. Biden has focused on expanding healthcare access and lowering costs. His administration empowered Medicare to negotiate drug prices, targeting some of the costliest medications, and aimed to cap out-of-pocket expenses for seniors. He's also pushed for broader health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), resulting in significant enrollment increases. Biden's stance on reproductive rights includes efforts to protect abortion access and support in vitro fertilization treatments, contrasting sharply with recent Supreme Court rulings. Trump's health policies have typically emphasized deregulation and reduced federal spending. He promises to repeal and replace the ACA, a campaign goal that remains vague given his previous failures to propose a concrete alternative (KFF Health News). His "Right to Try" Act, intended to provide terminally ill patients access to experimental treatments, faced implementation hurdles as drug companies were hesitant to release unapproved medications. Trump's notable achievement, Operation Warp Speed, accelerated COVID-19 vaccine development, although it faces mixed support among his base. The divergent paths of Biden and Trump offer voters a clear choice on the future of healthcare in America. Biden aims to build on existing frameworks for greater coverage and cost reduction, while Trump advocates for more market-driven, less regulated healthcare solutions. For more detailed insights, check out the full articles from NPR, POLITICO, and KFF Health News. https://lnkd.in/g6D5mqmF https://lnkd.in/gQDSm7Dg https://lnkd.in/gSFUYNXF

ARC Fertility brings you an insightful look at the new Commonwealth Fund report on women's health across the U.S. The study reveals significant state-by-state disparities, with the Northeast states leading in quality, outcomes and access. Massachusetts tops the list, while Southern states face more challenges, with Mississippi ranking lowest. Key findings: Life expectancy for U.S. women is at its lowest since 2006. Maternal and reproductive health outcomes vary widely, with stark differences in access to care and insurance coverage. States with expanded Medicaid programs, like Vermont and California, show better health outcomes for women. At ARC Fertility, we believe in equal access to quality healthcare for all women, no matter where they live. It's time for policymakers to bridge these gaps and ensure a healthy future for women across the nation. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gZT425E9 #WomensHealth #HealthcareAccess #HealthDisparities #ARCFertility

The Commonwealth Fund's recent report uncovers significant disparities in maternal health quality across states, emphasizing the urgent need for improvements. Addressing these gaps is essential to ensure all mothers receive high-quality care. At SPHERE, we are dedicated to investing in healthcare infrastructures that promote equitable maternal health outcomes. Understanding and addressing these disparities is vital for fostering healthier communities. Discover more about the state of maternal health in the U.S. and the necessary steps for improvement: