Editor’s Note: Long-standing structural racism and related health inequities experienced by people of color further laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic have mobilized leadership in many states to take action on health equity. While addressing structural racism in health care requires collaborative and sustained efforts across state agencies, local governments, communities and other stakeholders, many states are looking to Medicaid as a critical lever for advancing health equity.
During a recent Twitter chat, Manatt Health’s Patricia Boozang and Linda Elam and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s State Health and Value Strategies program’s Heather Howard discussed key takeaways from their recent issue briefs and corresponding webinar, which explore Medicaid’s role in promoting health equity, describe ways states can advance health equity through each demonstration life cycle stage and outline innovative policies to advance health equity via Section 1115 demonstrations.
Below is the resulting Q&A; you can follow the complete conversation using this Twitter thread.
NOTE: This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
