Online Program

Oral

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, by its vision and intent offers an unprecedented opportunity to close historical gaps in health care disparities. While expanding health insurance is a centerpiece in achieving this goal, the ACA includes dozens of provisions intended to improve quality and outcomes for racially and ethnically diverse and other vulnerable populations. In so doing, the new law provides important incentives and requirements to create a more equitable health care system through its exchanges, expansion of the safety net, and numerous other actions. However, the complexity of the law, new and novel incentives and requirements, and fluidity of its execution create significant challenges for states, health care providers, community organizations, advocates, and others in identifying obligations as well as opportunities they can directly tap or leverage to support the diversity and equity objectives of the ACA. Taking this vision and its well intentioned goals to reality in the short and longer-term will determine ultimate effectiveness and success. This session will present a point-in-time update on implementation progress of over 60 provisions in the ACA intended to advance health equity in the exchanges, safety net, health professions, public health research, and prevention, among other priorities. It will also offer a range of perspectives on progress—from federal and state to local and philanthropy—highlighting in particular tangible opportunities, challenges, lessons learned, along with important next steps and priorities for advancing and achieving equity through the health care reform law.

Session Objectives: Identify progress, lessons, and challenges in implementing equity provisions of the ACA. Describe how leading states are taking actions to address equity in their exchange infrastructure, outreach, and enrollment, along with through their safety net, workforce, and public health sector. Identify opportunities and next steps for continuing to advance the equity objectives of the ACA.