March 25, 2021
HHS: Health Disparities by Race/Ethnicity During the Pandemic. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released a report with existing data on rates for infection, hospitalization, death, and vaccination by race and ethnicity. The brief discusses the drivers of these disparities, and offers policy recommendations for achieving health equity.
New: Coverage to Care Telehealth Resources. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released two new resources to support the use of telehealth. The first educates patients on what to expect during a telehealth visit, and the second supports providers in how to conduct a successful telehealth visit and how to keep up to date on Medicare and Medicaid telehealth payments. Social media graphics are also available.
CDC: Urban-Rural Differences in Drug Overdose Death Rates, 1999-2019. A new brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports on a higher rate of overdose deaths due to heroin and cocaine in urban areas. In rural areas, however, overdose rates were higher for natural and semisynthetic opioids, synthetic opioids (excluding methadone), and psychostimulants with abuse potential.
NIHB Legislative and Policy Agenda for Indian Health. The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is a non-profit organization focusing on health care priorities for American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes. This annual report lists issue areas ranging from COVID-19 response to telehealth capacity to water and sanitation infrastructure.