Blogs

Students in the town of Planada, CA, sat at tables with enlarged maps of their community and brightly colored sticky notes. During their participation in an interactive THRIVE (Tool for Health and Resilience in Vulnerable Environments) workshop, they began to understand the impact of the environment on behavior. Fourteen-year-old Jonathan noted, “If we ask our mothers to go outside, they say no – because of traffic or because it’s dark. There are no streetlights.” Jonathan did not know at the time that this workshop would launch his path as a youth advocate who challenges place-based injustice and promotes health equity.

Five years have passed since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, and I continue to be inspired by the #GetCovered stories from across America. It is amazing to hear about men, women and young adults in this country who have been empowered—many for the first time—to take the reins and become more active partners in their health care and the health care of their families.

One of the best parts of my job is the time I spend during Open Enrollment out on the road, talking with people who are looking to sign up for coverage at HealthCare.gov. The people I meet often ask questions about my role as CEO of HealthCare.gov and why I’m visiting their community. My answer is always the same. I believe all families deserve the peace of mind and financial security that comes with access to quality and affordable health care coverage, and I want to do everything I can to help them get enrolled.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the nation’s uninsured rate now stands at its lowest level ever. But still, in communities across the country, 10.5 million people who are eligible for Marketplace coverage remain uninsured. In addition to launching the Healthy Communities Challenge to engage key communities in reducing the uninsured during this third Open Enrollment period, the White House also issued a challenge: Build outreach efforts that can reach these remaining uninsured Americans and help them gain coverage.

More than 4 million minority youth smoke or experiment with cigarettes, highlighting a need for stronger, more targeted youth tobacco prevention efforts. Fresh Empire is FDA's first public education campaign designed to reduce and prevent tobacco use among at-risk multicultural youth ages 12-17 who identify with hip-hop culture.

From health statistics data, we have known for some time that African American women have a higher death rate from breast cancer than women of other racial and ethnic groups. Research within the past few years has revealed a higher prevalence of a certain subtype of breast cancer, called triple-negative breast cancer, among African American women compared to women of other racial and ethnic groups. According to the National Cancer Institute, triple-negative breast cancer cases have the worst prognosis among all subtypes and African Americans have the highest rate of this subtype of breast cancer at every age and poverty level.

Five years ago, the Affordable Care Act created a remarkable opportunity in the movement to reduce health disparities and achieve health equity. In addition to expanding access to quality, affordable coverage for millions of uninsured Americans, it provided the foundation for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (HHS Disparities Action Plan) —the most comprehensive federal commitment to addressing health disparities.

As an American Indian or Alaska Native, there are certain steps that you must take in order to meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. There are also benefits that may be available to you if you’re a member of a federally recognized tribe or Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act shareholder.

Tucked away in central Wyoming you will find the Wind River Indian Reservation—home to the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapaho tribes, and home to a spirit of perseverance and self-determination that permeates America. While we celebrate the rich traditions of our nation’s indigenous people during National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, we cannot forget the fateful history that is imprinted on Indian Country. With this history in mind, we can work to create a brighter and healthier future for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Recently, the U.S. Office of Minority Health hosted a Twitter chat about strategies to reduce health disparities among Latinos. Federal agencies, media, advocates, community-based organizations and others took part. The discussion dealt with a range of health, social and economic topics —including the need to increase health literacy among Latinos and educate health care providers to offer more culturally and linguistically competent care. With the third open enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace underway, partners also talked about the Affordable Care Act's success in helping

In the first week of the third Open Enrollment, more than 540,000 people selected a health insurance plan through the HealthCare.gov platform and more than 1.15 million consumers were included on applications submitted to the Marketplace. Even more signed up through their State-based Marketplaces.

I run my own company, which restores wildlife habitats and wetlands, working with government agencies, landowners and private enterprises. But, as a self-employed person, it was a challenge trying to pay for health coverage for my daughter and myself.

Our nation is rooted in the promise of opportunity for all—including the opportunity for better health. As our population grows and transforms the fabric of our country, we continue to embrace the diversity and inclusion of all people who call America home. In every corner of this country there are powerful stories of those whose quest for improved health stands as a shining example of how opportunity can change lives.

On his first day in office, President Obama said “Government should be collaborative. Collaboration actively engages Americans in the work of their Government. Executive departments and agencies should use innovative tools, methods, and systems to cooperate among themselves, across all levels of Government, and with nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals in the private sector.”

Last year, President Obama launched My Brother’s Keeper (MBK), an initiative that brings together the public and private sectors, communities, businesses, schools, and individuals to close opportunity gaps and ensure all of our nation’s youth, including boys and young men of color, have the tools they need to realize their incredible potential. The initiative sets a vision for supporting our youth from cradle to college and career by focusing on six important milestones across the life course. The first of these milestones is ensuring that children enter school ready to learn.