There has long been a political divide among lawmakers over health care policy amid rising medical costs and inequities in health coverage.
Many low-income families, including Black Americans, struggle to find affordable health coverage. They also face confusing insurance options and promises from politicians to level the playing field in health care, but to no avail, health advocates say.
A new healthcare advocacy organization wants to change that by offering a resource it says will help people better understand why health care costs are rising through market-based solutions, the latest research and policy proposals presented in an “easy-to-understand way that’s never been done before,” according to a press release.
The Center for Healthcare Affordability (CHA) said it launched its “America’s Healthcare Policy Database” in May, describing it as a one-stop resource “to educate a public desperate for substantive fixes and provide the means to hold lawmakers accountable.”
The database also includes profiles of congressional lawmakers, evaluating them on health care affordability, policy proposals and other efforts to address what many describe as a health care crisis in the United States.
Run by the Institute for Legislative Analysis (ILA), the project collects and explains hundreds of research papers, policy ideas and proposals. The goal is to help the public and policymakers identify which reforms actually lower health care costs and hold lawmakers accountable, the group said in the press release.
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An ILA leader said the effort is especially important for Black communities, which often face higher rates of chronic conditions and are frequently targeted by lawmakers promising greater health care affordability.
“For better or worse, politicians tend to treat Black Americans similarly, often making promises to them of increased ‘affordability’ for healthcare,” Fred McGrath, president of the Institute for Legislative Analysis, told BlackDoctor in emailed comments.
During every election cycle, McGrath said, candidates running for office “promise specific policy reforms to certain voting blocs in an effort to sway their opinions on Election Day.”
“They’ll appear at events convincing environmentalists of enacting climate change measures, pension protections for union members, and subsidies and tax reform for small business owners,” he added.
McGrath said those disparities continue to fuel concerns about affordability, access to care and long-term health outcomes in many Black communities.
“The fact is that statistically Black Americans, especially ones in urban areas, wrestle with certain medical conditions at higher-than-average rates than the rest of the population,” he said. “The reasons tend to run wide, but heart disease, diabetes, cardiac arrest and stroke happen at significantly higher rates in Black communities, and symptoms often develop at earlier ages.”
McGrath argued that many voters are left trying to sort through competing health care proposals while questioning whether elected officials will ultimately follow through on campaign promises.
“Additionally, insurance and coverage deficiencies in Black communities are typically addressed by politicians through poll-tested solutions – everything from universal care to health savings accounts – so a candidate remains in or gains public office,” he said.
He added, “And while navigating the system can be accompanied by feelings of confusion, economic insecurity, and even fear and paranoia, Americans of all races have never had a way to confirm the veracity of politicians’ claims. Obviously, some are genuinely concerned about working toward solutions, while others will say anything on the stump and deliver nothing when sent to Washington.”
McGrath said, “Health care is arguably the most complex policy field in America.” But many policies backed by lawmakers who claim will “reduce costs” actually “do the opposite.”
The organization’s research focuses on policies it believes contribute to rising health care costs and limited access for patients, McGrath said.
“Through our policy framework, we have identified the mandates and regulations that restrict lower costs and enrich politically connected corporations at the expense of patients, including Black Americans,” he said.
“We launched the Center for Healthcare Affordability to bring together all the leading policy research on the industry.”
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