Senate Finance Committee Response On Health Disparities.pdf

The Honorable Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is commended for addressing health disparities, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic's disproportionate impact on communities of color and low-income communities. Aligning for Health, a coalition focused on improving health and wellbeing, supports the Committee's efforts to assess and discuss actionable steps to improve access to and coordination of public health, healthcare, and social services. The coalition strongly supports the Social Determinants Accelerator Act (S. 2986), a bipartisan proposal that aims to improve the health of families on Medicaid by empowering communities to develop interventions, coordinate resources, and identify barriers to integrated approaches. The Act would provide targeted technical assistance and grant funding to accelerate the capacity of states and localities to design Social Determinants Accelerator Plans, addressing social determinants such as housing, food assistance, and income. An inter-agency technical advisory council on social determinants of health would also be created to coordinate the effective use of federal resources. The coalition urges the Committee to consider the Social Determinants Accelerator Act as a means to address health disparities during and after the public health emergency.