It’s been almost 50 years since the first Black History Month was commemorated nationally in 1976. Since then, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has used this month to further our commitment toward advancing equity in health and working to ensure no one is left behind.
We still have our work cut out for us. There is a pronounced gap between the life expectancies of Black and white Americans – and there are no signs of it closing. I see it constantly in neighborhoods across the Region where communities of color struggle to maintain investments in the health of their family.
The Biden-Harris Administration is working to improve health outcomes in communities of color and for the underserved. As the first Black Regional Director for New England, I am proud of the work we are doing each day to expand access to care, lower health costs, and improve health outcomes.
When it comes to lowering healthcare costs, we are already seeing gains. The Inflation Reduction Act is saving Medicare enrollees money now. An estimated 5.8 million Black Americans enrolled in the Part D program have seen their out-of-pocket cost of a monthly supply of each covered insulin product capped at $35 a month. Additionally, the law makes recommended preventive vaccines available free of charge under Medicare Part D. In 2020, about 158,000 Black enrollees would have benefited from the law’s $35 insulin cap and in 2021, about 266,000 enrollees would not have had any out-of-pocket costs for recommended Part D covered adult vaccines.
HHS has continued its commitment to making health insurance available and affordable to everyone, including Black Americans. A historic 21.3 millionAmericans have selected an Affordable Care Act Insurance Marketplace plan during the 2024 Open Enrollment period, more than any time in history. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan, 4 out of 5 people can find coverage for $10/month or less.
For this past enrollment cycle, the Administration issued almost $100 million in Navigator Awards, allowing organizations to hire staff who are trained to help consumers find coverage. While data disaggregated by race for the 2024 Open Enrollment period will be available in the coming weeks, we know, based on the historic number of enrollees and the work Navigators have done at the community and neighborhood level, that many of the Americans who have enrolled are Black or Brown.
Overall, HHS is committed to addressing health disparities in the Black community and advancing health equity. This has meant targeted funding and outreach efforts to improve outcomes for Black maternal health, prevent COVID-19 infections in the Black community, treat Sickle Cell disease, address mental health challenges, and increasing the number of Black Americans working in health care through loan repayment and public health initiatives.
We know there is a need for this focused increase in programs – we have to look no further than the CDC life expectancy data. But beyond the numbers, these are lives in our communities across Massachusetts.
It’s why I feel encouraged every day, that at HHS, we are working to ensure that individuals, families, and communities — including those in the Black community — can go to sleep at night with the peace of mind that comes with having access to improved health care. During this Black History Month, HHS celebrates the progress it has made to advance health and wellbeing in the Black community and recommits to building on this progress until health outcomes are no longer disproportionate. It’s an opportunity to celebrate truly working to make America healthier – something all Americans can be proud of.
Everett Handford, Regional Director, U.S. Department od Health and Human Services, Region 1, CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT and 10 Federally Recognized Tribal Nations