APIAHF

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2022 (HEAA).

Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum issued the following statement:

“The Health Equity and Accountability Act takes a comprehensive and bold approach to reducing and eliminating health and health care disparities for communities of color, rural populations and medically underserved communities. This bill will address the ongoing health challenges the Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities face by improving federal data collection and reporting efforts, promoting culturally and linguistically appropriate care, and fostering greater diversity in the health workforce. APIAHF is proud to be a leading partner with Congresswoman Robin Kelly and the Congressional Tri-Caucus in their leadership and commitment to advancing health equity, and we will continue to help ensure its advancement in Congress.”

HEAA is a landmark legislation that seeks systemic changes toward a health care system that is more equitable for all communities across the lifespan. This bill builds upon previous legislative efforts, such as the Affordable Care Act, and also includes updated language that comprehensively addresses the intersections of health inequities with race and ethnicity, as well as immigration status, age, disability, sex, gender and other social determinants of health. In addition to promoting data disaggregation and language access, HEAA includes provisions on expanding access to mental health, improving accountability and evaluation of federally-funded programs, addressing high impact minority diseases, and improving health outcomes for women, children and families.

For nearly two decades, the Congressional Tri-Caucus –- the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus — have led the reintroduction of HEAA to every Congress. HEAA has received widespread support from over 300 advocacy organizations and more than 150 members of Congress.

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The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.