A new coalition has formed that said it would serve as a brain trust of experts committed to reducing racial health disparities among underserved seniors in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois — identifying a set of best practices that can be replicated across the country.
The Midwest Health Equity Coalition includes a group of mission-aligned health systems, a Medicare Advantage health plan, a healthcare analytics solutions company, the association representing Illinois community health centers, health policy leaders, and other health partners.
The coalition is the vision of Eric E. Whitaker, M.D., M.P.H., founder and executive chairman of Zing Health and former director of the Illinois Department of Public Health; and Andy Slavitt, healthcare advisor and former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Initial coalition membership includes Sinai Chicago, Illinois Primary Health Care Association, CareJourney, and Zing Health. Additional partners will be announced in the next few months.
“Equity gaps in care and access disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities, resulting in a higher prevalence of chronic care and racial disparities in health outcomes,” said Whitaker, in a statement. “This coalition will identify, support, and shine a light on innovative and cost-effective ways that front-line healthcare providers deliver preventative care to seniors—in particular, Medicare-eligible and disabled people of color. The goal is to ultimately drive better care so that all people can attain the services they need, regardless of race, disability, or socioeconomic status.”
“The coalition is committed to addressing inequities in healthcare and reducing disease burden in black communities,” said Andy Slavitt. “Our goal is to ensure underserved communities receive the preventative services and quality care they need and deserve to improve health outcomes.”
Quality care for diabetes and other conditions can be challenging in communities with limited practitioners or primary care physicians who may not be acquainted with disease management issues. The coalition is working on initiatives that include assistance in getting necessary appointments, transportation, and social services to help manage these conditions. Additional enhancements include benefits such as free insulin and no cost continuous glucose monitoring to eligible seniors, irrespective of ability to pay.
Among its priorities, the coalition will study those social determinants of health that create a greater risk of patients’ developing chronic conditions and difficulty in managing them. Findings from the coalition’s research will be used to identify individuals who could benefit from home-based services, or social and community supports, to improve quality and access to care.
The coalition will report out its initial findings and recommendations for addressing inequities in healthcare in 2023.
