Health Equity and Accountability Act

Achieving health equity – the highest level of health for everyone – is a critical imperative for this country, not only because it is at the heart of our shared values of fairness, justice, and equal opportunity, but because it is impossible to have a sustainable healthcare system without it. While the Affordable Care Act includes a number of provisions that reduce health disparities, its main focus is to extend access to health insurance to millions of Americans. To truly achieve equity and eliminate disparities, we must build on the gains provided under the Affordable Care Act and address disparities in a more comprehensive and integrated way. Our focus is on racial and ethnic minorities and on the sub-populations within communities of color that face multiple barriers such as but not limited to immigration status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and limited English proficiency. The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2011 can provide the tools necessary to address these health inequities and ensure that health and health care disparities elimination are prioritized.