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What the Government Should Do

Expand government initiatives to reduce healthcare disparities

The government should focus on large-scale health and wellness initiatives known to be effective in populations and communities affected by healthcare disparities. Initiatives should have a substantial impact on overall community health with particular focus on prevention and chronic illness care.

Support physical activity and wellness in schools, the workplace and the community

The government should increase resources to promote health for school-aged children, such as new federal funding to support:

  • Physical education five days per week in all grades.
  • Health education on diet, nutrition and tobacco use prevention.
  • Body mass index screening programs.
  • School-based programs to ensure all children receive recommended vaccinations.

Federal policies should empower employers to offer wellness incentives to individual workers and allow for inclusion with other tax-deferred healthcare benefits. In particular, the government should ensure employer contributions towards employee health and wellness activities, including smoking cessation, are excludable from employees’ incomes and should ensure that employees can use tax-free dollars to pay their share of health and wellness activities.


Stress the importance of healthy eating and support good nutrition through federal initiatives

Healthy eating can help reverse or prevent many health concerns associated with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. The government should support improved nutrition throughout its programs, including:

  • Tying federal funding for school meal and snack programs to improved nutritional quality.
  • Offering nutrition, meal-planning and preparation education to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollees and provide incentives to use SNAP for healthy foods.
  • Establishing tax and other incentives for grocery stores to locate in underserved neighborhoods.
  • Assuring robust funding for obesity programs and community infrastructure to encourage healthy lifestyles.

 

Promote safe deliveries and improve maternal health

State and federal governments should work together to establish local public-private partnerships to improve prenatal care and utilize innovative, technology-driven approaches, such as toolkits and mobile apps. Medicaid should collaborate with medical societies and private payers to prioritize prenatal care and postnatal health through education campaigns and payment policies that discourage elective induction prior to 39 weeks gestation, which can be harmful to the mother and child unless medically indicated.

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