Health Equity

What is health equity?

Health equity means ensuring that everyone has the chance to be as healthy as possible. However, factors outside of a person’s control, such as discrimination and lack of resources, can prevent them from achieving their best health. Working toward health equity is a way to correct or challenge these factors.¹

Health equality vs. health equity

Health equality means everyone has the same opportunities. Examples could include a community center offering free or low-cost checkups to everyone.

Health equity means that people have opportunities based on their needs. An example could be the same health center charging people based on their ability to pay. A person who cannot afford care may receive it for free while another person may pay for the same care.

In short, health equality means everyone receives the same standard, while health equity means everyone receives individualized care to bring them to the same level of health.¹Health equity and drug pricing

What does this mean for you? As healthcare costs continue to rise, members of Congress and state legislators are looking for solutions. The issues at stake are looming large and there is increasing pressure to overhaul Medicare, Medicaid, and prescription drug pricing. While we all agree this is a topic that must be addressed, it must be done with health equity at the forefront. Discrimination in healthcare has been a long standing problem, let’s not let insurance companies implement some of the proposals currently in front of Congress that will limit Americans access to innovative cures and therapies in the future.

If you have a disability or cancer or a chronic disease, it is time to learn more!