On February 8th, the White House released a Health Community Update about the State of the Union, and the healthcare priorities of the President, outlined during his speech. We wanted to debrief you on the important points. Below we highlighted the key facts shared by the White House:
In State of the Union, President Biden: Outline Vision to Advance Progress on Unity Agenda in the Year Ahead:
Ending Cancer as We Know It
To accelerate progress in the fight against cancer, last year, the President and First Lady reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goal of cutting U.S. cancer death rates by at least half in 25 years and improving the experience of individuals, caregivers, and families living with and surviving cancer.
Bringing America’s cancer research system into the 21st century.
Ensuring that patient navigation services are covered benefits going forward for as many people facing cancer as possible.
Preparing further action to help people avoid smoking in the first place and support Americans who want to quit.
Delivering on the Sacred Obligation to Veterans
Supporting America’s Veterans and Their Families, Caregivers, and Survivors.
Reducing veteran suicide.
Expand outreach to justice involved veterans.
Expand Access to Legal Support Services.
Tackling the Mental Health Crisis
Advance this Administration’s Mental Health Strategy.
Creating healthy environments.
Strengthen data privacy and platform transparency for all Americans.
Support the mental health of the health workforce.
Promote youth resilience.
Make care more affordable and accessible across all types of health insurance, integrating mental health services into settings that are more familiar, such as schools, and expanding access to telehealth.
Strengthen parity.
Enhance crisis services.
Beating the Opioid and Overdose Epidemic
Accelerating the Crackdown on Fentanyl Trafficking and Public Health Efforts to Save Lives.
Disrupting the trafficking, distribution, and sale of fentanyl.
Stop more fentanyl from getting into the U.S. at the Southwest Border Ports of Entry.
Stop more packages from being shipped into the United States with fentanyl and the materials used to make it.
Expanding access to evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery.
Deliver more life-saving naloxone to communities hit hard by fentanyl.
Ensure every jail and prison across the nation can provide treatment for substance use disorder.
Build on historic progress to drastically expand access to medications for opioid use disorder.
Launch a national campaign to educate young people on the dangers of fentanyl, and how naloxone saves lives.
Resources:
To help you and your communities in your preparations for the end of the COVID-19 PHE, please see the fact sheet that we have made available that includes information on what will and will not be impacted by the end of the COVID-19 PHE.