Category: Healthcare Disparities

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disability Disability Issues Empathy Healthcare Disparities Medical Humanities Patient-Centered Care

Why as a society is difference viewed as unattractive?

Why as a society is difference viewed as unattractive?

By Lauren Higgins

 

Cherri (2022) The Adoration of the Golden Calf

 

The artefact I have selected is a lamb taxidermy called, ‘The Adoration of the Golden Calf, after Poussin’, which was created in 2022 by Ali Cherri and finished using wood, jesmonite and gold leaf.

The piece was commissioned in 2021 as part of the National Gallery Artist in Residence programme and sat within the Sainsbury wing of the art museum as part of the ‘If you prick us, do we not bleed?’ project.  This exhibition focused on historical pieces which had been vandalised when displayed, with Cherri assembling individual artworks to reflect the trauma of the original. This taxidermy of a lamb that died due to severe birth abnormalities, specifically relates to the Golden Calf depicted in the work of Poussin, which was destroyed with spray paint in 2011 (Wilson, 2011).

This unusual, alien-like figure immediately captured my interest, as it stood in high contrast to the beautifully depicted biblical scenes of the Renaissance paintings which surrounded it. Centred within the gallery, I also noticed that this artefact had caught the attention of large crowds, with many recoiling in disgust and horror at the physical appearance of the lamb. It has often been deemed human nature to be captivated and intrigued by the unknown or different, however the pure hatred that was directed towards this piece simply due to its distorted appearance shocked and outraged me. I, therefore, began to consider the animosity that individuals who suffer from noticeable deformities face, and the challenges of living in a society that doesn’t fully accept those who are atypical.

The distinct characteristics of the lamb also reminded me of the infamous Siamese conjoined twins. I thought about the struggles they must have encountered not only due to the disability itself, but also the unwanted views and opinions of society at the time.  I wondered whether after 100 years since their death if they would receive a similar reaction of repulsion which I witnessed being directed towards the abnormalities of this figure (Bahjat, 2018). Moreover, this sculpture encouraged me to reflect upon my own disability; the impact it has had on my life and the additional challenges I shall encounter as a medical student.

Throughout history, individuals deemed to be ‘medical oddities’, have been subject to curiosity from the public audience and even used as forms of entertainment for the so-called freak shows (Grande, 2010).  The exhibition of extraordinary bodies occurred across Europe and America during the Victorian period, whereby physical difference was seen as a profitable market (Durbach, 2012). Chang and Eng Bunker, credited as the original Siamese twins, were examples of individuals showcased around the world for paying audiences (Bahjat, 2018). The Bunker brothers were attached at the breastbone via a ‘small piece of cartilage’, but each had their own set of organs and body, allowing them to carry out the activities of a normal man (Bahjat, 2018).

At just the age of 17, the brothers’ peculiarities were identified as having ‘commercial potential’ by Robert Hunter, who proceeded to buy the boys from their mother in Thailand and exhibit them across the globe (Leonard, 2014). The idea that the Bunker brothers, and so many other individuals with physical deformities, were used as amusement for others is deeply saddening (Kattel, 2018). The humiliating and dehumanising nature of freak shows makes me consider the psychological implications patients with physical disabilities must endure due to the strain of unsolicited comments and community opinions.

Alongside the link to the Siamese twins, the structural deformity of the artefact reminded me of my own physical anomaly. I have an idiopathic form of scoliosis, which is the lateral deviation of the vertebral column without a known cause (Martin and Law, 2020, p.692). As a result, I have uneven hips and shoulders, poor posture, severe back pain/ discomfort, and lowered self-esteem due to an obvious hump-like structure caused by the posterior raising of my ribcage (kyphosis). Similarly, to the ‘freaks’ of the 19th century, I have personally been subject to wondering eyes, judgmental expressions, and hurtful remarks about my appearance when out in public (Grande, 2010). I, therefore, have experienced first-hand the damaging mental health consequences indirectly connected to my disability.

Although my scoliosis has posed many additional challenges in my life, I believe that having a disability as a medical professional may be advantageous in being able to effectively empathise with patients suffering from other long-term health issues. With disabled people aged between 16-64 reporting lowered well-being ratings on happiness; worthwhile and life satisfaction scores; and increased anxiety levels than non-disabled counterparts, the NHS is currently failing to provide adequate support to those with continuing health problems (Office for National Statistics, 2021). Hence, as a training doctor, I recognise that I will be in a privileged position to raise awareness about the psychological burden of lasting illness among my able-bodied colleagues and the general public. In doing so, I hope that healthcare workers will begin to take a holistic approach in viewing disability and think further than treating the body and look also to healing the mind.

The introduction of the Equality Act 2010, was a positive step into protecting people with disabilities from discrimination within the workplace and wider population, demonstrating the unquestionable progression society has made in accepting disability from the brazen Victorian freak shows. Such legislation introduced by the government has had an instrumental influence in encouraging people with disabilities into employment and societal activities (i.e., sports, community groups and higher education). For example, between 2013 – 2020, there was an increase of 8.1% in the proportion of disabled people in employment, with 2.6 million disabled women and 1.8 million disabled men working, demonstrating the constructive role of such parliamentary bills (Powell, 2021). Although the apparent improvements, the uneducated reactions I witnessed towards the lamb’s defects, along with my own experiences, would suggest that even in the 21st century, disabled people are inevitably going to be made to feel unsafe by the minority who still view difference as ugly.

 

In conclusion, the artefact identifies and represents the exploitation of vulnerable individuals with deformities and highlights the dangerous way humans react to things that they are unfamiliar with. I observed how most of the responses to this piece within the gallery, were profoundly negative, and I have come to believe that this reaction of repugnance is reflective of the poor treatment of disabled people within today’s society. This piece has led to me uncovering the failures of the healthcare system in the past to protect individuals most at risk from mistreatment and has opened my eyes to the challenges I may encounter during my medical career in terms of counteracting negative public perception of disabilities.

Although legislation introduced by the government aims to pave the way for a more optimistic future whereby disabled people are not faced with judgment and prejudice, such discrimination is rooted within British history, and thus I appreciate it will take time to fully shift public opinion. I, therefore, hope in the future as a medical student, I can educate those around me about the damaging consequences of ignorance towards difference, and support those who face maltreatment because they do not fit into the idealistic prototype pushed by society.

Reference list-

Bahjat, M. (2018) Chang and Eng Bunker (1811-1874). Available at: https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/chang-and-eng-bunker-1811-1874 (Accessed: 13 April 2022).

Cherri, A. (2022) The Adoration of the Golden Calf, after Poussin [taxidermy] The National Gallery, London (Viewed: 11 April 2022).

Durbach, N. (2012) ‘Skin Wonders’: Body Worlds and the Victorian Freak Show’, Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, 69(1), pp. 38-67. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/jhmas/jrs035

Equality Act 2010, c. 1. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/part/11/chapter/1 (Accessed: 13 April 2022).

Grande, L. (2010) ‘Strange and Bizarre: The History of Freak Shows’, Things said
and done. Available at: https://thingssaidanddone.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/strange-and-bizarre-the-history-of-freak-shows/ (Accessed: 12 April 2022).

Kattel, P. (2018) ‘Conjoined Twins’, Journal of Nepal Medical Association, 56(211), pp.708-710. Available at: https://www.jnma.com.np/jnma/index.php/jnma/article/view/3526/2764 (Accessed: 12 April 2022).

Leonard, T. (2014) ‘How the original Siamese twins had 21 children by two sisters… while sharing one (reinforced) bed’, The Daily Mail, 7 November. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2825888/How-original-Siamese-twins-21-children-two-sisters-sharing-one-reinforced-bed.html (Accessed: 13 April 2022).

Martin, E. and Law, J. (eds) (2020) Concise Medical Dictionary. 10th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Office for National Statistics (2021) Outcomes for disabled people in the UK: 2020. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/disability/articles/outcomesfordisabledpeopleintheuk/2020 (Accessed: 27 April 2022).

Powell, A. (2021) Disabled people in employment. (House of Commons Library briefing paper 7540). Available at: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7540/CBP-7540.pdf (Accessed: 13 April 2022).

Wilson, C. (2011) ‘Man held after Poussin painting is vandalised at National Gallery’, The Guardian, 17 July. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jul/17/poussin-attack-national-gallery (Accessed: 12 April 2022).

Categories
Healthcare Cost Healthcare Disparities Innovation Technology

The Transformative Power of Telehealth: A New Era in Modern Healthcare

By Dipti Shah

Introduction:

Telehealth has rapidly evolved from a supplementary healthcare service into a vital component of the modern healthcare system. Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, its adoption has skyrocketed, offering a glimpse into a future where healthcare is more accessible, efficient, and patient-centered. This article explores the profound impact of telehealth on expanding access to care, improving cost-effectiveness, and the challenges that remain for its widespread implementation.

Expanding Access to Care:

Telehealth’s most significant advantage lies in its ability to extend healthcare access to populations previously underserved. For rural communities, where access to specialized care is often limited, telehealth has marked improvements in health outcomes. A 2021 study published in The Journal of Rural Health found that telehealth reduced the need for travel to urban centers for specialist consultations by approximately 30%, bridging the gap in healthcare access for rural populations. Additionally, telehealth has been particularly beneficial for individuals with mobility challenges and chronic conditions.

For example, a study by Doraiswamy et al. (2022) highlighted a 30% increase in healthcare utilization among patients with mobility impairments, leading to better management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and COPD. Furthermore, telehealth’s convenience has significantly increased patient adherence to treatment plans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Medical Association reported a 35% increase in telehealth visits for chronic disease management, underscoring its role in enhancing long-term health management and improving overall patient outcomes. These examples demonstrate how telehealth effectively bridges access gaps, supports diverse patient needs, and fosters improved health outcomes across various populations.

Cost-Effectiveness and Efficiency:

Telehealth is not only improving access but also contributing to cost savings within the healthcare system. By reducing the need for in-person visits, telehealth decreases transportation costs, time off work, and other associated expenses. Additionally, telehealth can help to alleviate the burden on emergency services by offering an alternative for non-emergency consultations, leading to a more efficient allocation of healthcare resources.

A 2022 study published in Health Affairs estimated that telehealth could save the U.S. healthcare system over $10 billion annually. These savings are primarily attributed to the reduction in unnecessary hospital visits and the optimization of care delivery processes. As healthcare costs continue to rise, telehealth presents a viable solution for enhancing efficiency while maintaining high-quality care.

Challenges and Considerations:

Despite its many benefits, telehealth faces challenges that must be addressed to ensure equitable access. The digital divide, characterized by disparities in access to technology and reliable internet, poses a significant barrier to widespread telehealth adoption. Low-income households, elderly populations, and those in remote areas are particularly vulnerable to this divide, limiting their ability to benefit from telehealth services.

Regulatory and reimbursement challenges also hinder the full integration of telehealth into the healthcare system. While the pandemic prompted temporary regulatory relaxations, permanent solutions are needed to sustain telehealth’s growth. Policymakers are currently working to streamline these regulations and improve reimbursement policies, but continued efforts are essential for long-term success.

Conclusion:

Telehealth represents a transformative shift in healthcare, with the potential to make care more accessible, cost-effective, and patient-centered. As the evidence in favor of telehealth continues to grow, it is imperative that healthcare systems and policymakers work together to address the challenges and fully integrate telehealth into the continuum of care. By doing so, we can ensure that the progress made during the pandemic is not just temporary but forms the foundation of a more resilient and equitable healthcare system.

Bio:

Dipti Shah holds a master’s in physical therapy and has over 10 years of experience in the field. She is passionate about integrating innovative healthcare solutions, such as telehealth, to improve patient outcomes and accessibility. Dipti’s insights are informed by her extensive clinical experience and commitment to advancing modern healthcare practices.

References:

  1. The Journal of Rural Health. “Telehealth’s Role in Rural Healthcare Access.” 2021.
  2. American Medical Association. “The Rise of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” 2021.
  3. Health Affairs. “Telehealth and Its Potential for Cost Savings in U.S. Healthcare.” 2022.
  4. American Telemedicine Association. “Policy and Regulatory Considerations for Telehealth.” 2023.
  5. The Nielsen Company. “The Role of Telehealth in the Modern Healthcare Landscape.” 2022.
Categories
General Healthcare Disparities Mental Health Public Health

Let Me Be Brief: Addressing Health Disparities Among the AAPI Community

A series of briefs by Texas Medical Students

By: Jasmine Liu-Zarzuela, Emily Liu, and Justin McCormack

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States, with Texas ranked 3rd in overall population and 2nd in an increase in population over the past 20 years.1 While this group is often referred to and perceived as a monolith, the label of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) encompasses over 50 ethnic groups speaking over 100 languages.2 With such a variety of ethnicities and language barriers within one group there also comes a variety of unique healthcare problems this population faces. AAPI individuals have been shown to face health disparities in cancer screening and mental healthcare, amongst many others, despite the population being relatively understudied compared to others.3 Thus, it is paramount for healthcare providers to be aware of AAPI health disparities to ensure access to adequate resources and outreach for proper screening, preventative care, necessary follow-ups, as well as proper research and study of this population to ensure disparities can be prevented. 

The AAPI community is composed of distinct ethnic subgroups which differ significantly by socioeconomic status, educational attainment, cultural background, amongst other major social determinants of health. For example, Asian Americans are the most economically divided racial group,4 and access to healthcare can depend on factors such as insurance coverage and interpreter access, which vary wildly based on subgroup.5 Thus, disaggregation of demographic data is paramount in order to identify within-group disparities in health outcomes and representation in medicine. The disaggregation of AAPI data will also aid in helping determine necessary initiatives to decrease disease burden in subgroups within the AAPI community. 

According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, AAPIs have the lowest rate of seeking mental help of any minority group, with just under a quarter of AAPI adults with mental illness receiving treatment.7 Several barriers contribute to difficulties seeking care, ranging from language barriers, stigma, the model minority myth, and alternative treatments, amongst others.8 The COVID-19 pandemic has increased xenophobia against Chinese Americans and the AAPI community as a whole, and these experiences have been associated with an increased level of depressive and anxiety symptoms.9  

In the US, incidence and death rates for liver cancer are second-highest in Asians compared to other ethnic groups (after Hispanic), reaching as high as twice the rates of other racial or ethnic groups.10 Liver cancers have been attributed to Hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus (HCV), which are often silent infections.11 Compared to other demographics, Asian Americans have the highest rates of HBV infection and are least aware of their HCV status.11,12 However, AAPIs with Hepatitis infection do not engage in established risk factors for HCV in other populations, and hence are often under-diagnosed.13

TMA Policy

Currently, TMA policy 260.126 supports the Texas Department of State Health Services efforts in addressing racial/ethnic healthcare disparities and the funding needed to lessen such disparities. However, there are no current TMA policies that acknowledge disparities in healthcare specifically among the AAPI population. TMA does support AMA policy H-350.954, which advocates for the restoration of web pages on AAPI initiatives that address disaggregation of health outcomes concerning AAPI data.

Recently, the medical student section (MSS) of the TMA have submitted several resolutions to address the health disparities within the AAPI population. One of the proposed policies calls for the TMA to support the disaggregation of demographic data regarding AAPIs to reveal the within-group disparities that exist in health outcomes and representation in medicine. A second proposed policy calls for the TMA to support legislation for the funding and promotion of HBV screening, treatment, and education among the Asian American and Pacific Islander population. Lastly, a third proposed policy urges the TMA to support raising awareness and educating providers about the discrepancies in mental health among AAPI populations. 

Advocacy Goals/MSS Perspectives

Advocacy goals on increasing HBV screening and education among the AAPI community would improve health outcomes, education, and treatment for HBV and HCV screening, while decreasing the prevalence of liver cancer among one of the most commonly impacted racial and ethnic groups in Texas and the United States. Similarly, advocacy goals on increasing mental health screening and education among this population would improve health outcomes and quality of life. By bringing awareness and policy to decreasing the prevalence of liver cancer, HBV, HCV, and mental illness among the AAPI community, the TMA-MSS has an intricate and influential role in building a stronger screening program and culturally specific interventions to improve the livelihoods and health outcomes in the AAPI community.

Current Bills

Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act (H.R. 3573) (7) is a current bill that instructs the SAMHSA to provide outreach and education strategies for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.14

Call to Action

It is imperative that medical professionals and students acknowledge the health disparities that exist within the AAPI community and further spread awareness and policy to ultimately improve the health outcomes of this community. 

References

  1. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the U.S. (2021, April 9). Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/09/asian-americans-are-the-fastest-growing-racial-or-ethnic-group-in-the-u-s/
  2. Asian American and pacific islander. (n.d.). Nami.Org. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Asian-American-and-Pacific-Islander
  3. The center for Asian health engages communities in research to reduce Asian American health disparities. (n.d.). Nih.Gov. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/news-events/features/training-workforce-dev/center-asian-health.html
  4. Kochhar, R. (2018, July 12). Income inequality in the U.s. is rising most rapidly among Asians. Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/07/12/income-inequality-in-the-u-s-is-rising-most-rapidly-among-asians/
  5. Lee, S., Martinez, G., Ma, G. X., Hsu, C. E., Robinson, E. S., Bawa, J., & Juon, H.-S. (2010). Barriers to health care access in 13 Asian American communities. American Journal of Health Behavior, 34(1), 21–30. https://doi.org/10.5993/ajhb.34.1.3
  6. Misra S, Le PD, Goldmann E, Yang LH. Psychological impact of anti-Asian stigma due to the COVID-19 pandemic: A call for research, practice, and policy responses. Psychol Trauma. 2020;12(5):461-464. doi:10.1037/tra0000821
  7. Duh-Leong C, Yin HS, Yi SS, et al. Material hardship and stress from COVID-19 in immigrant Chinese American families with infants. J Immigr Minor Health. Published online 2021:1. doi:10.1007/s10903-021-01267-8
  8. Why Asian Americans don’t seek help for mental illness. Mcleanhospital.org. Accessed December 20, 2021. https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/why-asian-americans-dont-seek-help-mental-illness
  9. Cheah CSL, Wang C, Ren H, Zong X, Cho HS, Xue X. COVID-19 racism and mental health in Chinese American families. Pediatrics. 2020;146(5):e2020021816. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-021816
  10. Products – data briefs – number 314 – July 2018. (2019, June 7). Cdc.Gov. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db314.htm
  11. Ho, E. Y., Ha, N. B., Ahmed, A., Ayoub, W., Daugherty, T., Garcia, G., Cooper, A., Keeffe, E. B., & Nguyen, M. H. (2012). Prospective study of risk factors for hepatitis C virus acquisition by Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian American patients: Ethnic differences in risk factors for HCV. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 19(2), e105-11. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2893.2011.01513.x
  12. Kim, H.-S., Yang, J. D., El-Serag, H. B., & Kanwal, F. (2019). Awareness of chronic viral hepatitis in the United States: An update from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 26(5), 596–602. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvh.13060
  13. Products – data briefs – number 361 – march 2020. (2020, June 26). Cdc.Gov. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db361.htm
  14. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3573/text#:~:text=Introduced%20in%20House%20(05%2F28%2F2021)&text=To%20amend%20the%20Public%20Health,Hawaiian%2C%20and%20Pacific%20Islander%20 population. 
Categories
General Healthcare Disparities Public Health

Let Me Be Brief: LGBTQ+ Healthcare Under Attack Across Texas

A series of briefs by Texas Medical Students

By Amanda Block, Parminder Deo, and Zoe Davis

The onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislative proposals continues to rise among Texas lawmakers amid already skyrocketing negative rhetoric and violence towards the LGBTQ+ community1. Some legislation calls for book bans in school libraries, questions the legality of gender-affirming care for transgender youths, and paints drag shows as grooming children for sex.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services defines gender-affirming care as a supportive form of health care which can include medical, surgical, mental health, and/or non-medical services for transgender and nonbinary people2. This early gender affirming care is essential to overall health for transgender or nonbinary children, allowing them to focus on social transitions which can increase their confidence while navigating the healthcare system. 

LGBTQ+ people are more visible in their communities than ever before. A Public Religion Research Institute (PPRI) survey found that 70% of Americans report that they have a close friend or family member who is gay or lesbian, while the number of Americans who say they personally know someone who is transgender has nearly doubled, from 11% to 21%3. Texas is home to approximately 7 million youth under 18, and holds the second largest LGBTQ youth population in the U.S., according to an analysis by Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law and Gallup Daily4.

LGBTQ+ Demographics in Texas:

% of Adults (18+) who are LGBTQ+Total LGBTQ+Population (13+)% of Workforcethat is LGBTQ+Total LGBTQWorkers% of LGBTQ+ Adults (25+) Raising Children
4.1%1,053,0005%647,00029%

As of February 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has identified 23 anti-LGBTQ bills in Texas– 10 of which directly target access to healthcare5. Many of the healthcare bills seek to limit or ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth by declaring gender-affirming care as “child abuse” and target medical providers with threats losing licensure and pressing criminal charges, and removing state funds for gender-affirming care. Other bills attempt to limit classroom instruction on sexuality and gender identity. Introduction of legislation like this affects the emotional and physical well-being of this historically marginalized patient population. 

Key Bills this Session:

  • Senate Bill 1029, filed by Texas Republican Bob Hall, would ban public funding for gender modifications and treatments, which includes castration, vasectomy, and hysterectomy regardless of age6. It would also bar some health plans from providing “gender modification procedure” and increase legal liability for medical professionals who offer the care.
  • Senate Bill 1082, filed by Texas Republican Bob Hall, relating to the definition and use of the terms “male” and “female” for purposes of certain government documents7. This would restrict all government-produced communications that request or provide information on someone’s sex to only use “male” and “female.”

The proposed Texas legislations are a direct insult to the mental-well being of LGBTQ+ people and their quality of life. Transgender and gender nonbinary adolescents are already at increased risk for mental health issues, substance use, and suicide. The Trevor Project, a suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth, reported that LGBTQ youth of color reported higher rates of attempting suicide than their white peers in 2022, and that for 86% of respondents in Texas, recent politics further negatively impacted theirwell-beings8.

A safe and affirming healthcare environment is critical in fostering better outcomes for transgender, nonbinary, and other gender diverse children and adolescents. Medical and psychosocial gender affirming healthcare practices have demonstrated lower rates of adverse mental health outcomes, increased self-esteem, and improvement in overall quality of life for transgender and gender diverse youth9.

As future healthcare professionals, it is our duty to ensure equitable healthcare for all individuals, regardless of gender identity. Furthermore, it is our duty to take actions of non-maleficence, avoiding doing any harm to individuals. If bills that restrict the healthcare for these individuals are put into place, this population will not have the same opportunity to advance their mental health and physical health as their non-transgender counterparts. Their mental health will undoubtedly undergo negative impacts as a consequenceThese pieces of legislation decry appreciation for LGBTQ community members and the autonomy and dignity these individuals deserve and are inappropriate for any policy, especially those pertaining to the healthcare legislature . 

TMA Policy

The LGBTQ Health Section of the TMA is charged with addressing important issues of interest to LGBTQ medical students, residents and fellows, and physicians. The goal is to advance the association’s leadership role in providing physicians and patients with evidence-based, scientific information on care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual, and queer/questioning individuals. TMA specifically wants to protect the patient-physician relationship. Below are policy examples.

60.008 Rejection of Discrimination: The Texas Medical Association does not discriminate, and opposes discrimination, based on race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, national origin, age, sexual orientation, sex, or gender identity. TMA supports physician efforts to encourage that the nondiscrimination policies in their practices, medical schools, hospitals, and clinics be broadened to include “race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, national origin, age, sexual orientation, sex, or gender identity” in relation to patients, health care workers, and employees. (CSPH Rep. 1-A-18)

60.010 Opposing Legislation that Mandates Physician Discrimination: The Texas Medical Association (1) supports the removal of “opposite sex” as a requirement for affirmative defense to prosecution within the Texas Penal Code, and (2) opposes legislation or regulation that mandates physicians and other health professionals discriminate against or limit access to health care for a specific patient population (Res. 111-A-19).

265.028 Improving LGBTQ Health Care Access: The Texas Medical Association recognizes that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ) individuals have unique health care needs and suffer significant barriers in access to care that result in health care disparities. TMA will provide educational opportunities for physicians on LGBTQ health issues to increase physician awareness of the importance of building trust so LGBTQ patients feel comfortable voluntarily providing information on their sexual orientation and gender identity, thus improving their quality of care. TMA also will continue to study how best to reduce barriers to care and increase access to physicians and public health services to improve the health of the LGBTQ population. (CSPH Rep. 8-A-18)

For LGBTQ mental health support, call the Trevor Project’s 24/7 toll-free support line at 866-488-7386. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 98810.

Sources

  1. Legislative Bill Tracker 2023: Equality Texas. equalitytexas.org. https://www.equalitytexas.org/legislature/legislative-bill-tracker-2023/. Published March 13, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2023. 
  2. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/index.htm. Published November 3, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2023. 
  3. How social contact with LGBT people impacts attitudes on policy. PRRI. https://www.prri.org/spotlight/lgbt-pride-month-social-contact-gay-lesbian-transgender-individuals/. Published October 13, 2021. Accessed March 31, 2023. 
  4. The Williams Institute. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/visualization/lgbt-stats/?topic=LGBT&area=48#density. Accessed March 31, 2023. 
  5. Mapping attacks on LGBTQ rights in U.S. state legislatures. American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights. Published March 28, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2023. 
  6. Texas SB1029: 2023-2024: 88th legislature. LegiScan. https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB1029/2023. Accessed March 31, 2023. 
  7. Texas SB1082: 2023-2024: 88th legislature. LegiScan. https://legiscan.com/TX/sponsors/SB1082/2023. Accessed March 31, 2023. 
  8. 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health by State. The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/The-Trevor-Project-2022-National-Survey-on-LGBTQ-Youth-Mental-Health-by-State-Texas.pdf. Accessed March 31, 2023.
  9. Tordoff DM;Wanta JW;Collin A;Stepney C;Inwards-Breland DJ;Ahrens K; Mental health outcomes in transgender and nonbinary youths receiving gender-affirming care. JAMA network open. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35212746/. Accessed March 31, 2023. 
  10. For young LGBTQ LIVES. The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/. Published February 27, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2023.
Categories
General Healthcare Costs Healthcare Disparities Mental Health Public Health Women's Health

Let Me Be Brief: Maternal Mortality

A series of briefs by Texas Medical Students

By: Radhika Patel and Sanika Rane

Maternal mortality continues to be one of the more pressing public health issues in Texas. In December 2022, Texas’ Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee released a report reviewing pregnancy-related deaths in Texas since 2019 1. The review found that despite policies implemented to prevent these cases, there has been little improvement in rates since 2013, with Texans continuing to experience above-average rates of pregnancy- & childbirth-related deaths – about 12 deaths per month with 89% of cases being preventable 1. The report also found that 19% of pregnancy related deaths were attributed to discrimination, with people of color, particularly Black patients being at the highest risk of pregnancy related discrimination and subsequently the highest risk for maternal mortality.

So what gaps remain to be addressed? In a recent issue of Texas Medicine, TMA announced that “women’s reproductive health” and “Medicaid coverage for women and children” amongst its priorities to address in the 2023 legislative agenda 2 . The federal administration has developed a Maternal Health Blueprint specifying policies on Extending Postpartum Medicaid Coverage; A Maternal Mental Health Hotline; Investments in Rural Maternal Care; No More Surprise Bills; and Better Trained Providers (addressing implicit bias), and in February, Dr. Jackson Griggs testified on behalf of TMA at the Texas Senate Finance meeting seeking adequate state funding for maternal & child health – the written testimony highlights similar issues regarding maternal mortality in Texas (more below) 3. Currently, there are a number of bills proposed this legislative session to address some
of these issues:

Medicaid coverage

  • In the last session, House Bill (HB) 133 requesting extension of coverage for 12 months postpartum was passed by Texas’ House of Representatives – but the Senate reduced this to 6 months, causing the expansion to be stuck requiring waiver approval by the federal government 4
  • Due to this, despite Medicaid covering half of births in Texas, insurance still only extends coverage to 2 months postpartum – with nearly one-third of maternal deaths in Texas occurring after this coverage ends 5
  • Medicaid will undergo further “unwinding” this year as Texas restarts disenrollments – currently, a pregnant woman earning up to 198% of the FPIL can be covered by Medicaid through 60 days after pregnancy 6; but on day 61, she must earn less than 17% to maintain her coverage ($3,733 for a family of three), leading to loss of coverage for many 7. In Texas, rates of delayed and foregone preventive care for children and adults have increased, resulting in potentially missed and delayed diagnoses.
  • Gregg Abbott has even stated that one of his budget priorities is to request funding for 12 months of Medicaid postpartum services 8.
  • Bills proposed this session to expand Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum include House Bill (HB) 56 (currently still in Health Care Reform committee) & Senate Bill (SB) 73 (currently still in Health & Human Services committee).

Racial disparities

  • Nationally, Black people giving birth are three times more likely to die than their white counterparts – and twice as likely in Texas.9
  • Bills proposed this session addressing racial disparities include:
    • HB 663: Creating an unbiased maternal mortality and morbidity data registry for Texas.
      • Passed vote in the House, now in the Health & Human Services committee in the Senate.
    • HB 1164: Obtaining funding to conduct a study specifically investigating maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women in Texas.
      • Passed vote in the House, now in the Health & Human Services committee in the Senate.
    • HB 1162 & 1165: Establishing requirements for medical provider licensing should include hours for cultural competency and implicit bias training.
      • Both still in the Public Health committee

Life-saving care

  • Maternal death rates have been found to be 62% higher in contraception-restriction states like Texas 10
  • In two Texas hospitals, 57% of patients were reported to have significant maternal morbidity as a result of state-mandated management of obstetrical complications (like access to life-saving medication) compared to 33% in states without such legislation. On average, patients were withheld life-saving care for 9 days, simply being observed instead as their conditions worsened – before they eventually developed complications severe enough to be qualified as an immediate threat to maternal life for physicians to legally take action under Texas law. 11
  • Bills proposed this session addressing life-saving care include:
    • SB 79 & HB 3000: Ensuring that current restrictions will not negatively impact pregnant patients requiring termination for their care, including not being susceptible to criminal penalties.
      • Both still in the State Affairs committee.
    • HB 1953: Establishing exceptions to current restrictions to ensure that physicians are able to provide life-saving care to high-risk patients in their third-trimester.
      • Currently still in the Public Health committee.

Mental health resources

  • 84% of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable – leading underlying issues varied by race & ethnicity, including: mental health conditions (23%) (suicide and overdose/poisoning) disproportionately affecting Hispanic & non-Hispanic White people. 12
  • In Texas, rising rates of drug abuse, suicide, and domestic violence reflect the mental anguish and distress so many patients face – suicide and homicide represented 27% of pregnancy-related deaths with homicides most often perpetuated by the individual’s partner 1
  • Establishing funding to allow PCPs to provide up to 4 postpartum depression screens in the year following delivery, especially given the current shortage of both adult & child psychiatrists, may help address these issues. 8
  • Bills proposed this session addressing mental health resources include:
    • HB 3724: Establishing a maternal mental health peer support pilot program for perinatal mood and anxiety disorder.
      • Currently still in the Health Care Reform committee.
    • HB 2873: A strategic plan for improving maternal health, including improving access to screening, referral, treatment, and support services for perinatal depression.
      • Passed vote in the House, now awaiting vote in the Senate.

Maternal health deserts

  • Texas leads the country in maternal health deserts – communities with limited or no local prenatal and maternity care services, even for insured women – jeopardizing the health of expectant mothers and their unborn babies.8
  • Bills proposed this session addressing maternal health deserts include:
    • HB 3626: Implementing a public outreach campaign to increase the number of maternal health care professionals in rural areas.
      • Currently still in the Health Care Reform committee.
    • HB 617 & SB 251: Establishing a pilot program for providing telemedicine and telehealth services in rural areas.
      • HB 617 passed & signed into law by Governor Abbott, effective 9/1/2023.
      • SB 251 passed vote in the House, now in the Jurisprudence committee in the Senate.
    • HB 1798 & SB 663: Developing a strategic plan for providing home and community-based services under Medicaid to children and mothers, especially in low-resource settings.
      • HB 1798 passed vote in the House, now in the Health & Human Services committee in the Senate.
      • SB 663 currently still in the Health & Human Services committee.

In summary, please consider the following goals for advocacy this session:

  • Ensuring safe access to life-saving procedures.
  • Extending Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum for all mothers in Texas.
  • Increasing access to evidence-based community and crisis mental health and substance abuse services.
  • Addressing gaps in medical education to prevent the impact of racial discrimination on maternal mortality, including cultural competency & implicit bias.
  • Improving access to comprehensive healthcare in rural settings and maternal health deserts.

Since most of these bills are still being discussed within committees, it is an especially pertinent time to speak with the representatives sitting on these committees and urge them to move the bills forward to be voted on and signed into law. Stay informed about issues pervading your communities, reach out to your local representative to ask for their support on proposed bills, and engage in this legislative session by joining physician advocates at the Capitol!

Resources

  1. Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee and Department of State
    Health Services Joint Biennial Report 2022. Accessed January 26, 2023.
    https://www.dshs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/legislative/2022-Reports/Joint-Biennial-
    MMMRC-Report-2022.pdf
  2. Texas Medicine March 2023. www.qgdigitalpublishing.com. Accessed April 1, 2023.
    https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?m=55178&l=1
  3. House TW. FACT SHEET: President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’s Maternal Health
    Blueprint Delivers for Women, Mothers, and Families. The White House. Published June 24,
    2022.https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/24/fact-sheet-
    president-bidens-maternal-health-blueprint-delivers-for-women-mothers-and-families/
  4. Klibanoff E. Texas health agency says its plan to extend maternal Medicaid coverage is “not
    approvable” by feds. The Texas Tribune. Published August 4, 2022. Accessed April 1, 2023.
    https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/04/texas-medicaid-postpartum-application/
  5. Waller A. Maternal health care advocates applaud new state law to extend Medicaid coverage,
    but say it doesn’t go far enough. The Texas Tribune. Published August 27, 2021.
    https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/27/texas-medicaid-maternal-mortality-health
  6. Comments on the Status of the Texas Maternal Health Coverage Bill. Texans Care for
    Children. Accessed April 1, 2023. https://txchildren.org/posts/2022/5/4/comments-on-the-
    status-of-the-texas-maternal-health-coverage-bill
  7. Maternal deaths are public health and health equity problems. They’re also preventable. |
    Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Kinder Institute for Urban Research | Rice University.
    https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/maternal-deaths-are-public-health-and-health-equity-
    problems-theyre-also-preventable
  8. Texas Medical Association. Senate Finance Committee – Senate Bill 1, Article II Hearing
    Texas Health and Human Services Commission. TMA; 2023
  9. Salahuddin M, Patel DA, O’Neil M, Mandell DJ, Nehme E, Karimifar M, Elerian N, Byrd-
    Williams C, Oppenheimer D, Lakey DL. (2018) Severe Maternal Morbidity in Communities
    Across Texas. Austin, TX: University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler/University of
    Texas System.
  10. Declercq, E., Barnard-Mayers, R., Zephyrin, L., & Johnson, K. (2022, December 14). The U.S.
    Maternal Health Divide: the Limited Maternal Health Services and Worse Outcomes of States
    Proposing New Abortion Restrictions. Www.commonwealthfund.org.
    https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2022/dec/us-maternal-health-
    divide-limited-services-worse-outcomes
  11. Nambiar, A., Patel, S., Santiago-Munoz, P., Spong, C. Y., & Nelson, D. B. (2022). Maternal
    morbidity and fetal outcomes among pregnant women at 22 weeks’ gestation or less with
    complications in 2 Texas hospitals after legislation on abortion. American Journal of Obstetrics
    & Gynecology, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.06.060
  12. CDC Newsroom. (2016, January 1). CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0919-
    pregnancy-related-deaths.html
Categories
General Healthcare Costs Healthcare Disparities Public Health

Let Me Be Brief: Medicaid Expansion in Texas

A series of briefs by Texas Medical Students

By: Ryan Sorensen, Aaron Pathak, Aishani Khosia

What is Medicaid?

Medicaid is a program established by the federal government in 1965 as a solution to the coverage gap that many marginalized groups faced due to the inaccessibility of private health insurance.¹ Funded jointly by the federal and state government, Medicaid became an option for health insurance for low-income, older, and disabled members of society. While partly federally funded, the program criteria, benefits, eligibility, etc all falls under the ruling of each state.2

In 2010, passage of the Affordable Care Act developed an even more comprehensive reform, with the goal of making insurance coverage and healthcare access accessible to a greater population. The ACA called for Medicaid expansion,3 which if adopted by each state would allow for more flexible eligibility- addressing the existing coverage gap that continues to remain an issue. Expansion of Medicaid would allow for individuals to be eligible to receive benefits through Medicaid on an income-basis, as long as household income did not exceed 138% of the established Federal Poverty level.4

How would Medicaid Expansion help Texans?

Texas leads the nation in the number of uninsured individuals in the state, with a reported rate of 18% according to data collected in the 2021 Census.5 For many who do not qualify for Medicaid or receive employer-sponsored health insurance, the barrier to insurance lies in the high cost of marketplace plans. With over 5 million uninsured individuals in Texas, Medicaid expansion would allow for increased access to care and improved health outcomes by expanding eligibility to include underserved and vulnerable populations above the poverty line.6

The pivotal 2002 report: Care without Coverage released by the Institute of Medicine has since been strengthened by findings that continue to show a direct relationship between mortality risk and the lack of health insurance.7 A literature review by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that ACA expansion was correlated with better health outcomes and was specifically related to improvements in areas of cancer diagnosis and treatment, transplants, smoking cessation, behavioral health, and treatment of opioid disorders.8 Health insurance and health outcomes are undeniably interconnected, making Medicaid expansion a necessary legislative agenda to improve the health of Texans and address existing health inequities.9

A current bill to specifically advocate for is: Bill SB 343- Relating to the expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals for whom federal matching money is available. This bill was introduced by Nathan Johnson in January, and it was read in April and referred to the Health and Human Service Senate Committee for review.

How has the TMA advocated in the past?

The TMA for many years has advocated for the expansion of medicaid through the promotion of articles that show the health benefits of medicaid expansion in Texas. In 2019, 2020, and 2021 the TMA published articles showing public support, public health benefits, and fiscal benefits of allowing medicaid expansion in Texas.10 Furthermore, former TMA President Dr. Doug Curran testified in support of HB 565 introduced by Representative Coleman in the 2019 legislative session, although the bill did not make it past committee.11 TMA Policies 190.032 (Medicaid Coverage and Reform) and 190.036 show the TMA’s support in accepting additional funds from the federal government for increasing Medicaid access while also urging the government to develop new, more sustainable systems than the current Medicaid expansion plan.12,13 TMA Policy 190.037 (Medicaid Work Requirements) also states that the TMA opposed any lifetime
limits or reduction in access for Medicaid enrollees.14 Through medical student advocacy, it is important to support these lobbying efforts by the TMA in passing Medicaid expansion. It is important for the MSS to increase knowledge about the coverage gap between Texas’ current Medicaid system and the income needed to afford health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace to decrease our state’s uninsured population.The federal government is slated to pay 90% of the total costs of Medicaid expansion,15 greater than the normal 50-78% that the federal government pays for current enrollees. This expansion will not only make healthcare more accessible for low-income Texans who fall in the coverage gap, but also increase the fiscal stability of safety-net hospitals that currently have to pay for people in this coverage gap through increased local property taxes.

Fast Facts

  • Medicaid expansion in Texas would provide health insurance coverage to approximately 2 million low-income Texans who are currently uninsured.16
  • States that have expanded Medicaid have seen improvements in health outcomes, including lower rates of mortality, better access to preventive care, and improved management of chronic conditions.17
  • Expanding Medicaid in Texas could help address health disparities by providing access to healthcare for low-income and minority populations who are disproportionately
    uninsured. 18
  • Medicaid expansion in Texas would also save taxpayers money by reducing the amount of uncompensated care provided by hospitals and other healthcare providers.19
  • Expanding Medicaid in Texas would result in significant net fiscal benefits for the state. According to a report by the Urban Institute, the federal government would cover 90% of the costs of expansion, and the state would save money on healthcare and other programs that currently serve uninsured individuals.20
  • The Texas Hospital Association has estimated that Texas hospitals would see a $34 billion reduction in uncompensated care costs over a 10-year period if Medicaid were expanded.21
  • Expanding Medicaid in Texas would generate more than $100 billion in economic activity and create 200,000 jobs over 10 years, according to a study by the Perryman Group.22

References

  1. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.). Introduction to Medicaid. https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/introduction-to-medicaid.
  2. Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Home. https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/index.html.
  3. HealthCare.gov. (n.d.). Affordable Care Act (ACA) – Glossary.
    https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/affordable-care-act/.
  4. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2023). Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions: Interactive Map.
    https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/#:~:text=The%20Affordable%20Care%20Act’s%20(ACA,FMAP)%20for%20their%20expansion%20populations.
  5. Mykyta DCand L. (2022). Decline in share of people without health insurance driven by increase in public coverage in 36 states. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/09/uninsured-rate-declined-in-28-states.html
  6. Rachel Garfield, K.O. (2021). The Coverage Gap: Uninsured Poor Adults in States That Do Not Expand Medicaid – Issue Brief – 8659-10. KFF. https://www.kff.org/report-section/the-coverage-gap-uninsured-poor-adults-in-states-that-do-not-expand-medicaid-issue-brief-8659-10/#endnote_link_508791-3.
  7. Kilbourne AM. (2005). Care without Coverage: Too Little, Too Late. J Natl Med Assoc. 97(11), 1578.
  8. Guth, M. (2023). The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Studies from January 2014 to January 2020 – Report. KFF. https://www.kff.org/report-section/the-effects-of-medicaid-expansion-under-the-aca-updated-findings-from-a-literature-review-report/.
  9. Sommers BD, Baicker K, Epstein AM. (2012). Mortality and access to care among adults after state Medicaid expansions. New England Journal of Medicine. 367(11), 1025-1034. doi:10.1056/nejmsa1202099.
  10. Texmed. (n.d.). Medicaid Expansion. https://www.texmed.org/Search/Keywords/?Keyword=Medicaid+expansion.
  11. Doolittle, D. (n.d.). More than 1 million more Texans could be covered, report shows. Texmed. https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=50436.
  12. Texmed. (n.d.). Medicaid Expansion: Why It Matters to Texas. https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=43009&terms=medicaid%20expansion.
  13. Texmed. (n.d.). Medicaid Expansion: FAQs. https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=46586&terms=medicaid%20expansion.
  14. Texmed. (n.d.). Medicaid Expansion: Economic Impact. https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=48322&terms=medicaid%20expansion.
  15. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.). Medicaid Expansion: Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/medicaid-expansion-frequently-asked-questions.
  16. Kaiser Family Foundation. Medicaid in Texas. Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/texas/
  17. Kaiser Family Foundation. The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review. Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/medicaid/report/the-effects-of-medicaid-expansion-under-the-aca-updated-findings-from-a-literature-review/
  18. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Accounting for Social Risk Factors in Medicare Payment: Identifying Social Risk Factors. Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/catalog/23635/accounting-for-social-risk-factors-in-medicare-payment-identifying-social
  19. The Commonwealth Fund. The Cost of Not Expanding Medicaid in Texas. Retrieved from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2019/cost-not-expanding-medicaid-texas
  20. Urban Institute. The Cost and Coverage Implications of the ACA Medicaid Expansion: National and State-by-State Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/32696/413136-The-Cost-and-Coverage-Implications-of-the-ACA-Medicaid-Expansion-National-and-State-by-State-Analysis.PDF
  21. Texas Hospital Association. The Economic Benefit of Expanding Medicaid in Texas. Retrieved from https://www.tha.org/Public-Policy/State-Federal Issues/Medicaid-Expansion
  22. The Perryman Group. Economic and Fiscal Benefits of Medicaid Expansion in Texas. Retrieved from https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=47027
Categories
General Healthcare Costs Healthcare Disparities Mental Health Public Health

Let Me Be Brief: Addressing The Texas Mental Health Crisis

A series of briefs by Texas Medical Students

By: Jasmine Liu-Zarzuela, Isreal Munoz, Rozena Shirvani

Background

Addressing the Texas mental health crisis is a multifaceted challenge that requires the coordination of various entities and an approach that addresses the underlying causes. Some of the most important aspects of addressing the national mental health crisis is increasing access to mental health care services, improving mental health literacy among the general public, and promoting a collaborative effort between various sectors of society, including government agencies, healthcare providers, schools, employers, and community organizations.¹ Collaboration can help ensure that mental health resources are accessible, that policies and regulations support mental health, and that individuals receive the care and support they need to maintain appropriate mental health.

In accordance with the mental health of minors, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) declared a National State of Emergency
in Children’s Mental Health in 2021.² It is estimated that 16.5% of children under 18 have at least one mental health disorder, but about 49% did not receive treatment or counseling from a professional.³ To combat this, the 86th Texas Legislature created the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium that funded the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) initiative, which provides telehealth services at no cost to the school or students, such as mental health evaluations, short term therapy, psychiatric care, and referrals to long term treatment to students of participating districts.4 It is important to support funding for these initiatives as they aim to have resources in every school district in Texas; however, only about a third are estimated to be involved.4

TMA Policy

In June 2022, The TMA submitted written testimony that emphasizes the increasing need for mental health resources in Texas, particularly with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and incidences of gun violence, such as the Uvalde incident.5-8 In fact, Texas has had more school shootings than any other state since 2012 with 43 incidents.9 In this testimony, TMA strongly encourages the importance of firearm safety promotion, mental health investments, and adolescent, family, and community interventions that foster resilience in the midst of childhood adversity. A key issue for the TMA agenda at the 2023 legislative session is preventing suicide and supporting Texans’ mental health. The TMA also has many policies aimed at increasing funding and coverage for services including:

  • 55.033 Children’s Mental and Behavioral Health- supports improved
    access to mental health services and payment systems that fully integrate mental health care services in primary care10
  • 145.019 Mental Health Equitable Treatment and Parity- supports lobbying state and federal government to increase scope of limited parity laws to include all mental health disorders and supports state funding for pilots to improve treatment 11
  • 215.019 Public Mental Health Care Funding & 215.020 Improved Funding for Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorder(s) – supports increasing funding from Texas Legislature for the mental health care system 12,13
  • 100.022 Emergency Psychiatric Services- supports funding to sustain and expand state investments to redesign mental health crisis services 14

Fast Facts

  1. 198 (out of 254) Texas counties are considered Health Professional Shortage Areas for mental health.15
  2. An additional 23 Texas counties are considered a mental health Health Professional Shortage Area for low-income populations. 15
  3. 221 of 254 (87%) of Texas counties lack adequate mental health resources. 15
  4. Among adults with serious mental illness, only 64.8% received mental health services in the past year. 16
  5. The economic burden of mental illness in the United States is estimated to be $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year. 17

 Current Bills

Senate Bill 672 is a current bill that advises Texas Medicaid to construct a mental health collaborative care model.

Call to Action

It is imperative that medical professionals and students acknowledge the rising national mental health crisis and further promote awareness and create policy to ultimately improve health outcomes.

Resources

  1. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2022/11/mental-health-care-strains
  2. https://www.texmed.org/uploadedFiles/Current/2016_Advocacy/Texas_Legislatur
    e/TMA-written-testimony-mental-health.pdf

References

  1. Saxena, S., Funk, M., & Chisholm, D. (2020). World Health Assembly adopts resolution on mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(8), 655-656. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30306-5
  2. AAP-AACAP-CHA declaration of a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. (n.d.). Aap.org. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/child-and-adolescent-healthy-mental-development/aap-aacap-cha-declaration-of-a-national-emergency-in-child-and-adolescent-mental-health/
  3. Spotlight 1: Prevalence of mental health services provided by public schools and limitations in schools’ efforts to provide mental health services. (n.d.). Bing. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from
    https://nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators/ind_s01.asp
  4. Texas child health access through telemedicine (TCHATT). (2021, July 27). MMHPI – Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute; Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. https://mmhpi.org/project/texas-child-health-access-through-
    telemedicine-tchatt/
  5. Kathirvel, N. (2020). Post COVID-19 pandemic mental health challenges. Asian journal of psychiatry, 53, 102430.
  6. Vadivel, R., Shoib, S., El Halabi, S., El Hayek, S., Essam, L., Bytyçi, D. G., … & Kundadak, G. K. (2021). Mental health in the post-COVID-19 era: challenges and the way forward. General psychiatry, 34(1).
  7. Shanbehzadeh, S., Tavahomi, M., Zanjari, N., Ebrahimi-Takamjani, I., & Amiri-Arimi, S. (2021). Physical and mental health complications post-COVID-19: Scoping review. Journal of psychosomatic research, 147, 110525.
  8. Ren, F. F., & Guo, R. J. (2020). Public mental health in post-COVID-19 era. Psychiatria danubina, 32(2), 251-255.
  9. States With the Most School Shootings. (2022, May 27). Usnews.com. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2022-
    05-27/states-with-the-most-school-shootings
  10. 55.033 Childrens Mental and Behavioral Health. TMA Policy . (2022, June 14). Retrieved March 16, 2023, from
    https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=42554&terms=children+mental+
    health
  11. 145.019 Mental Health Equitable Treatment Parity . TMA Policy. (2022, June 14). Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=42846&terms=mental+health+equitable+treatment
  12. 215.019 Public Mental Health Care Funding. TMA Policy. (2021, July 21). Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspxid=43155&terms=public+mental+health+care+funding
  13. 215.020 Improved Funding for Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders.TMA Policy . (2020, October 29). Retrieved March 16, 2023, fromhttps://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=43156&terms=improved+funding+for+mental+illness
  14. 100.022 Emergency Psychiatric Services. TMA Policy. (2018, August 20). Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=42696&terms=psychiatric+services
  15. Special committee to protect all Texans. (2022). Texmed.org. https://www.texmed.org/uploadedFiles/Current/2016_Advocacy/Texas_Legislature/TMA-written-testimony-mental-health.pdf
  16. Mental illness. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Retrieved March17, 2023, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
  17. Mental disorders cost society billions in unearned income. (2015, September 19).National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/mental-disorders-cost-society-billions-unearned-income
Categories
Clinical General Healthcare Costs Healthcare Disparities Law Public Health Quality Improvement

On Public Charge

A step forward or a step back from self-sufficiency?

By: Souma Kundu

At the start of 2020, I remember the Trump administration celebrating what it saw as a victory for “self-sufficiency,” and “protecting law-abiding legal citizens from undue tax burdens”. Following a battle in the lower court, in a much-anticipated Supreme Court ruling, the court sided 5-4 with the administration, allowing enforcement of the 2019 expansion of the Public Charge rules.

This court ruling on Public Charge marks only the latest iteration of a policy dating back to the 1882 Immigration Act. While the definition and enforcement has varied over time, the essence of the law remains true to its origins: immigrants who are deemed unable to take care of themselves without becoming dependent on public assistance are unsuitable for American citizenship and therefore denied entry. Historically, public charge was determined by a holistic review of an applicant’s circumstances including age, health, financial status, education and skills. The use of public benefits for cash assistance and long-term institutionalization could be considered in this review, but other programs such as nutritional/housing assistance or public insurance were not included. In 2019, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) expanded on the existing criteria to consider public benefits such as supplemental nutrition assistance, Medicaid or public housing. Additionally, it stipulated that the use of any of these public benefits for more than twelve months within any 36 month period may classify an applicant as a “public charge” effectively making them ineligible for permanent residency.

At the heart of this policy’s long-standing history is a deep-rooted belief that self-reliance is inextricably linked to the worth of an individual. It also posits that requiring public assistance is not only a burden to society, but one that is unlikely to be paid off or utilized for eventual gain.

But is this policy, and its predecessors really helping us increase self-sufficiency? Or is it robbing the US of its vast current and future population of contributing citizens? Even more pressing in 2020, is the impact of enforcing public charge during a pandemic leading to an underutilization of health care and resources only to increase morbidity and mortality across the nation?

From the lens of a healthcare worker, the general concern that efforts to rehabilitate lead to dependence baffles me. In medicine, from a sprained ankle to a surgery, achieving ultimate goals of “returning maximum function” all depend on how we can aid the healing process along the way. Generally, the use of a brace to offload the weight of a broken foot is not contested. Neither is the need for physical therapy to retrain our muscles after injury. But when it comes to rehabilitation of a person, our nation is much more skeptical of the process.

The abundance of research in the US and other countries on long-term effects of various welfare programs such as cash assistance, nutrition, and housing, point to the overwhelming benefits to the health of the recipients. Interestingly, benefits can also be seen towards community, by way of increased rates of labor participation, education attainment, employment status and productivity (Banerjee, Blattman, et. al). In a 2019 study on long-term economic impacts of childhood Medicaid, researchers found Medicaid-eligible children had higher wages starting in their twenties with wages increasing as they age. By the time these children reach age 28, their expected annual tax on earnings will return 58 cents for each Medicaid dollar spent to the government (Brown 2020). Providing basic human needs can be life changing – and it seems not just an ethical imperative, but a sound investment.

As many physicians, policy makers, immigration lawyers and researchers have feared, the changes to public charge determination is adding fear and confusion, resulting in underutilization of services available to immigrant families. Even programs such as the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which is exempt from public charge review, have experienced a decrease in utilization.  An early impact study of public charge since enforcement began in February 2020, showed a 1% increase in the US’ noncitizen population that was associated with a 0.1% drop in child Medicaid use, estimated as a decline in coverage of 260,000 children. Researchers attribute this drop in enrollment to the fear and misinformation spreading amongst immigrants around public charge (Barofsky 2020).

As a medical student in San Diego where roughly two-thirds of our county’s population is Spanish-speaking, the impact of fear-mongering could not be more clear. Since the start of the pandemic, our once overflowing children’s hospital emergency department has been eerily quiet. Parents are worried for the safety of their families at the cost of health consequences from delays in care. At a time when access to medical care is imperative, our patients without documentation fear being turned away, or worse, turned in.

Meanwhile, disenrollment affects more than just immigrant families foregoing public assistance. Safety-net hospitals which rely heavily on Medicaid and CHIP payment are estimated to be at risk for a loss of $68 billion in health care services for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees (Raphael 2020). A drop in Medicaid enrollees will lead to increases in uncompensated care, lower Medicaid and CHIP revenue, alongside the cost of complications and emergencies secondary to foregoing early/preventive care. The fear and reluctance that public charge has created is not a simple reduction in federal spending, but rather a shifting of the burden with downstream financial havoc.

With the ample evidence that negates the assertion that the use of public assistance dooms one to a lifetime of dependency, and evidence to the contrary, that foregoing use has downstream effects on society, I urge us to rethink the dominant narrative around welfare and its implications for our nation. If we reject the belief that we must limit the use of public resources in favor of nurturing our communities most in need, we are much more likely to manifest our nation’s values of self-sufficiency and unlocking its potential. I’m not asking you to give up on self-reliance, I’m asking you to invest in it.

References:

  1. Blattman C, Jamison J, Green E, Annan J. The returns to cash and microenterprise support among the ultra-poor: a field experiment. SSRN Journal. Published online 2014.
  2.  Banerjee AV, Hanna R, Kreindler G, Olken BA. Debunking the stereotype of the lazy welfare recipient: evidence from cash transfer programs worldwide. SSRN Journal. Published online 2015.
  3. Brown DW, Kowalski AE, Lurie IZ. Long-term impacts of childhood medicaid expansions on outcomes in adulthood. Review of Economic Studies. 2020;87(2):792-821.
  4. Barofsky J, Vargas A, Rodriguez D, Barrows A. Spreading fear: the announcement of the public charge rule reduced enrollment in child safety-net programs: study examines whether the announced change to the federal public charge rule affected the share of children enrolled in medicaid, snap, and wic. Health Affairs. 2020;39(10):1752-1761.
  5. Raphael JL, Beers LS, Perrin JM, Garg A. Public charge: an expanding challenge to child health care policy. Academic Pediatrics. 2020;20(1):6-8.
Categories
Clinical Community Service Emotion Empathy General Healthcare Disparities Opinion Public Health

Let Me Be Brief: Community Leadership

A series of briefs by Texas Medical Students

By: Fareen Momin, Sereena Jivraj, and Melissa Huddleston

In the ever-evolving field of medicine, it is no surprise that the idea of leadership in medicine has changed over the years. Some physicians have engaged in additional leadership in the context of politics. In fact, several physicians signed the Declaration of Independence.1 Today, physician community leadership extends much further. Physicians can engage with their communities and beyond via virtual platforms. Physician “influencers” use social media to provide quick answers to patients, and physician-patient interactions on Twitter alone have increased 93% since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.2 With physician voices reaching ever-larger audiences, we must consider the benefits and ramifications of expanding our roles as community leaders.

Medicine and politics, once considered incompatible, are now connected.3 There is a long list of physician-politicians, and community members often encourage physicians to run for political office, as in the case of surgeon and former representative Tom Price.4 Physicians are distinctly equipped to provide insight and serve as advocates for their communities.5 Seeking to leverage this position, a political action committee (PAC), Doctors in Politics, has an ambitious desire to send 50 physicians to Congress in 2022, so they can advocate for security of coverage and freedom for patients to choose their doctor.6-7 There are dangers, however, when physicians take on this additional leadership role. For example, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), an ophthalmologist, has spread medical misinformation, telling those who have had COVID-19 to “throw away their masks, go to restaurants, and live again because these people are now immune.”8

It is not practical for even those medical students who meet age requirements to run for office. What we can do is use our collective voice to hold our leaders accountable, especially when they represent our profession. We can create petitions to censure physicians who have caused harm and can serve as whistleblowers when we find evidence of wrong-doing perpetrated by healthcare professionals. We can also start engaging in patient advocacy and policy-shaping with the American Medical Association (AMA) Medical Student Section and professional organizations related to our specialty interest(s).

To avoid adding to confusion, statements by physicians should always be grounded in evidence. Dr. Fauci’s leadership is exemplary in this regard. He has worked alongside seven presidents, led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984, and has become a well-known figure due to his role in guiding the nation with evidence-based research concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.9 Similarly, Dr. John Whyte, CMO for WebMD, has collaborated with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to advocate for safe use of medication and to educate those with vaccine apprehension.10 Following these examples, we should strive to collaborate with public health leaders and other healthcare practitioners and to advance health, wellness, and social outcomes and, in this way, have a lasting impact as leaders in the community.

  1. Goldstein Strong Medicine: Doctors Who Signed the Declaration of Independence. Cunningham Group. Published July 7, 2008. Accessed February 2, 2021. https://www.cunninghamgroupins.com/strong-medicine-doctors-who-signed-the-declaration-of-independence/
  2. Patient Engagement with Physicians on Twitter Doubles During BusinessWire. Published December 17, 2020. Accessed February 2, 2021. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201217005306/en/Patient-Engagement-with-Physicians-on-Twitter- Doubles-During-Pandemic
  3. WHALEN THE DOCTOR AS A POLITICIAN. JAMA. 1899;XXXII(14):756–759. doi:10.1001/jama.1899.92450410016002d
  4. Stanley From Physician to Legislator: The Long History of Doctors in Politics. The Rotation. Published May 15, Accessed February 2, 2021. https://the-rotation.com/from-physician-to-legislator-the-long-history-of-doctors-in-politics/
  5. Carsen S, Xia The physician as leader. Mcgill J Med. 2006;9(1):1-2.
  6. Doctors in Politics Launches Ambitious Effort to Send 50 Physicians to Congress In 2022. BusinessWire. Published May 27, 2020. Accessed February 2, 2021. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200527005230/en/Doctors-in-Politics-Launches-Ambitious-Effort-to- Send-50-Physicians-to-Congress-In-2022
  7. Doctors in Accessed February 2, 2021. https://doctorsinpolitics.org/whoweare
  8. Gstalter Rand Paul says COVID-19 survivors should “throw away their masks, go to restaurants, live again.” TheHill. Published November 13, 2020. Accessed February 2, 2021. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/525819-rand-paul-says-covid-19-survivors-should-throw-away-their-masks-go-to
  9. Anthony Fauci, M.D. | NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Published January 20, 2021. Accessed February 2, 2021. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/anthony-s-fauci-md-bio
  10. Parks Physicians in government: The FDA and public health. American Medical Association. Published June 29, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2021. https://www.ama-assn.org/residents-students/transition-practice/physicians-government-fda-and-public-health
Categories
Clinical General Healthcare Cost Healthcare Costs Healthcare Disparities Innovation Patient-Centered Care Primary Care Quality Improvement

Let Me Be Brief: Medicaid Expansion

A series of briefs by the Texas Medical Students

By: Ammie Rupani and Alwyn Mathew

In 2019, 18% of Texans had no form of health insurance.1 650,000 Texans have lost their health insurance due to unemployment during the pandemic. The rate of uninsured Texans is staggering and has only been worsened by the pandemic. During this critical time, we must talk about Medicaid Expansion and the potential solutions for millions of people with no health insurance. As a medical student, I have seen patients defer life-saving medications such as insulin in order to afford rent or groceries. Consequently, these choices have brought such people to the Emergency Room in diabetic ketoacidosis, which could have been easily avoided with regular insulin treatments. Stories like this are far too common in Texas, and it is important to recognize such outcomes are easily preventable with improved access to health insurance coverage. How can we as students learn to treat people, when the system we are bound to  practice in is perpetuating their very diseases?

Retrieved from Texas Comptroller

Medicaid is a health insurance program managed through the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicaid is currently jointly funded by the Federal and State governments with the Federal government matching each dollar the State spends. Texas Medicaid is primarily a fee-for-service model that has poor reimbursement rates and high administrative burden that discourages physicians from accepting Medicaid in their practice. Currently, Texas Medicaid coverage is only offered to children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with severe disabilities, who also fall below a certain income threshold. For example, a single mother making minimum wage at her  full-time job is not eligible for Medicaid because she earns too much. However, she does not qualify for Federal subsidies covering some of the insurance cost because she does not earn enough. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 would help address this woman’s dilemma since Medicaid Expansion would cover all individuals with incomes up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, amounting to $16,643 for individuals and $33,948 for a family of four. Medicaid Expansion would provide a health insurance option to an estimated 2.2 million uninsured low-wage Texas adults.2

Although the original arguments against Medicaid Expansion in Texas focused on States’ rights and limiting Federal dependence on funding, the primary opposition to this program was the Federal mandate. In 2012, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Federal government could not mandate the Expansion of Medicaid in any State, leading to Texas and several States opting out of the program. Realizing the benefits and improvement in health outcomes, several States have since adopted the Expansion program offered through CMS, including Arkansas (2014) and Louisiana (2016). Currently, Texas spends nearly $40 billion (State and Federal funds) for the Medicaid program, with a 60-40% distribution between the Federal and State Government respectively.3 Expansion would be fiscally sound for Texas as it will reduce the strain on our State budget and draw in more Federal resources. Looking past the dollar amount, it is crucial that medical students and other healthcare professionals recognize the benefits of improved access and early medical intervention that can be achieved through Medicaid Expansion.3

TMA’s Legislative Recommendations4
  • Develop a meaningful, statewide health care coverage initiative using federal dollars to:
    • Extend meaningful coverage to low-income uninsured working-age adults, and
    • Establish a state-administered reinsurance program to reduce premiums for people enrolled in marketplace
  • Provide 12-months’ comprehensive coverage for women who lose Medicaid 60 days
  • Establish 12-months’ continuous coverage for children enrolled in Medicaid, the same benefit given to children enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
  1. Accounts TCof P. Uninsured Texans. Retrieved from- https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/fiscal-notes/2020/oct/uninsured.php
  2. How Many Uninsured Adults Could Be Reached If All States Expanded Medicaid? – Tables. KFF. https://kff.org/report-section/how-many-uninsured-adults-could-be-reached-if-all-states-expanded-medic aid-tables/. Published June 25, 2020.
  3. Federal and State share of Medicaid Spending, 2019, Kaiser Family Foundation- retrieved from – https://kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/federalstate-share-of-spending/?dataView=1&currentTimeframe=0 &sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22State%22,%22sort%22:%22desc%22%7D
  4. Provide Meaningful Health Care Coverage for Uninsured Texans. Texmed. https://texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=55300.
  5. Status of state medicaid expansion decisions: Interactive Map, 2021. Retrieved from- https://kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/