The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2024 addresses health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities as well as women, the LGBTQ+ community, rural populations, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities across the country

Senator Reverend Warnock has long championed quality health care for all Georgians, including closing the health care coverage gap

Senator Reverend Warnock: “As an advocate for all communities, I hear from Georgians about their struggles to access affordable and equitable health care. It is vital that we pass the Health Equity and Accountability Act, and further enhance the quality of life all Georgians”

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA) of 2024, legislation that will address health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities as well as women, the LGBTQ+ community, rural populations, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities across the United States.

“As an advocate for Georgians in every corner of the state, I hear from Georgians about their struggles to access affordable and equitable health care. It is vital that we pass the Health Equity and Accountability Act to further enhance the quality of life all Georgians.” said Senator Warnock. “I am proud to join my friend Senator Hirono in reintroducing this crucial legislation that will take important steps to ensure that all Georgians are healthy and thriving,”

HEAA builds upon policies enacted under landmark health care legislation, such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Inflation Reduction Act, and lays out additional investments and policy changes to improve the health and well-being of underserved communities, address systemic health inequities, and ensure access to high-quality and affordable health care for all. HEAA’s comprehensive policy changes are laid out across 10 titles as detailed below:

1. Data Collection and Reporting – Strengthens collection of data to better identify health disparities and inform policies and standards to prevent continued bias and inequities.
2. Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Health and Health Care – Improves access to and quality of culturally and linguistically appropriate care for non-English speakers.
3. Health Workforce Diversity – Directs funding to diversify the health care workforce and better supports workforce development for underrepresented minority health professionals.
4. Improving Health Care Access and Quality – Addresses systemic barriers to quality care for disparity-impacted communities through expanding coverage, improving access, innovating in delivery, and creating health empowerment zones.
5. Improving Health Outcomes for Women, Gender-Diverse People, Children, and Families – Addresses reproductive and sexual health needs, aiming to dismantle barriers to access to health coverage and services, information, and other vital resources.
6. Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders – Strengthens protective factors, expands access to services and resources for mental health and substance use disorders, and reduces the structural barriers that contribute to behavioral health inequities.
7. Addressing High-Impact Minority Diseases – Addresses high-impact minority diseases by increasing services and resources including screenings, research, treatments, and coverage.
8. Health Information Technology – Expands and invests in health information technology infrastructure to reduce impact of health disparities on racial and ethnic minority communities.
9. Accountability and Evaluation – Ensures the federal government is held accountable for efforts to reduce health disparities and requires further transparency.
10. Addressing Social Determinants and Improving Environmental Justice – Defines social determinants of health, as well as the role they play in health inequities, and contains proposals to address these root causes for health disparities, including provisions to address environmental hazards, gun violence and hunger for seniors, children, and families.

In addition to Senators Reverend Warnock and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), the bill is cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). 

Senator Warnock has long championed eliminating racial and ethnic health inequities. Senator Warnock has worked on the front lines to address maternal health disparities, including introducing the bipartisan Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act to address the nation’s maternal health crisis. Senator Warnock has also been a strong advocate for health care equity through Medicaid expansion and lowering the cost of insulin. During his time in the Senate, Senator Warnock has partnered with Senator Jon Ossoff to secure roughly $1.2 billion in federal funding to incentivize the state to expand Georgia’s Medicaid program, which would benefit roughly 640,000 qualifying Georgians.

HEAA is endorsed by over 70 organizations, including Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, National Immigration Law Center, National Health Law Program, American Kidney Fund, National Minority Quality Forum, Center for Law and Social Policy, and National Network for Arab American Communities. The full list of endorsing organizations can be found HERE.

The full text of the bill is available HERE.

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