Health Equity

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Can the Health Insurance System Handle Massive Medicaid Reductions?

For many who have or will soon lose Medicaid as monthly redeterminations restart, and for millions more who could lose insurance due to other factors like job loss, three recent policy developments might increase the chances that they find new health care coverage.

Christine Eibner @Chrissyeibner

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Mental Health First Aid: Training People to Help Others

An innovative program trains and empowers people to not look away from those experiencing mental illness, but to listen to them, reassure them, and encourage them to get help. Most trainees of the program in New York City were still using what they had learned five years later.

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A Potential Backslide in Mental Health Care for Millions of Americans

The expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration will have broad-sweeping effects, and one of the most significant is little known: It could begin undoing the expansion of mental health care access for millions of Americans.

Ryan K. McBain @ryankmcbain

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Remembering Slain LA Bishop David O'Connell and His Tireless Community Work

Bishop Dave left a mark on so many lives, and, even after becoming bishop, remained close to the community he so loved. The world has lost a fearless and compassionate leader.

Kathryn Pitkin Derose

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RAND Experts on Veteran Mental Health Respond to the White House Mental Health Research Priorities

The White House identified eight research priorities to better manage America's current mental health crisis. RAND researchers highlight why each area is critical for veteran mental health and how RAND is contributing to address them.

Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand, Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, et al.

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State of the Union, Mental Health First Aid, China's Spy Balloon: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on President Biden's State of the Union address, the benefits of mental health first aid training, insights on China’s spy balloon, and more.

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Research Shows How Communities Are Prioritizing Health Equity

In partnership with RAND, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is tracking how communities are evolving their approaches to building a Culture of Health and advancing health equity. The research offers insights on how and why inequities develop, and more importantly, how communities change course and move towards health equity.

Anita Chandra

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Gender Biases in Health Care: Listen to Women About Their Own Health

More and more information, evidence, and personal stories are emerging suggesting women are not being listened to or believed by health care professionals about their symptoms of physical illness. There is ongoing work in the United Kingdom to improve and integrate women's health services, which creates hope for improvements.

Lucy Hocking

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A Potential Russian Attack on NATO, China in the Arctic, Inflation: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how the West might respond in the case of a limited Russian attack on NATO, what China's Arctic ambitions mean to the United States, how inflation affects middle-class households, and more.

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Informing the Debate About Telemedicine Reimbursement: What Do We Need to Know?

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. payers and policymakers broadly expanded payment for telemedicine services and relaxed many regulations. To decide the long-term fate of pandemic-era temporary telemedicine, policymakers should consider the effects of telemedicine on health care spending, patient outcomes, and health equity.

Ateev Mehrotra, Lori Uscher-Pines

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The Equity-First Vaccination Initiative's Challenges and Successes

The Equity-First Vaccination Initiative invested $21 million in community-based organizations to reduce racial disparities in vaccination rollout and support strengthening public health systems in the United States over the longer term. The initiative demonstrated a path forward for funders to center equity in their approach to grantmaking.

Laura J. Faherty @LauraFahertyMD, Sarah Hanck, et al.

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The Impact of Racism on Patient Safety

Minoritized patients are at high risk of experiencing what the medical field calls “patient safety events.” But the way the U.S. health care system tracks patient safety too often makes their experiences invisible. Better reporting would allow hospitals and other providers to identify disparities in care, and to address them.

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Abortion After the Dobbs Decision: Q&A with RAND Researchers

The overturning of Roe v. Wade is likely to disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including U.S. service women and pregnant women with substance use disorders. And abortion misinformation will likely increase. RAND researchers discuss these issues and potential policy responses.

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Tele-Palliative Care Among Underserved Patients: Considerations for Future Research to Ensure Equity for All Patients

Underserved patients have been historically marginalized in health care and may experience extensive barriers to palliative care. Telehealth may be a particularly promising mode of palliative care by engaging patients across long distances and facilitating access to existing palliative care resources.

Julia Bandini, Natalie Ernecoff, et al.

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Telemedicine Abortion? It's Not as Easy as It Sounds

The Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has providers and health advocates strategizing about how to provide more abortions where it is still legal. Expanding virtual medical visits is one popular idea. Policymakers and clinics could take steps to make telemedicine better understood, easier to use, and more equitable.

Zachary Predmore @zspredmore, Julia Rollison @Julia_Rollison