November 5, 2024 is election day. On July 21, 2024, President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, further endorsing current Vice President Kamala Harris and opening the door to a new candidate who will have their own priorities on health care. While the electoral outcome is yet to be determined, its results may have substantive impact on the overall health and wellbeing of people living in the United States, especially patients living with chronic illnesses and their care partners. With 129 million people, nearly half the population, in the United States living with one major chronic disease, healthier communities, data innovation, and informed policymaking are major concerns when thinking of mitigating financial barriers to health care access to, the use of technology in medicine and care delivery, and trust as it relates to public health. Health Datapalooza, happening September 16-17, 2024, serves as an important venue for discussing these concerns with a wide range of health care stakeholders.
Financial Barriers to Health Care Access
Lower out of pocket cost for prescription drugs required for the management of diseases is essential to improve individual and population health outcomes. For example, diabetes, which impacts 38.4 million people of all ages, living in the United States has a high financial burden of $412.9 billion according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Research shows that on average patients with type one diabetes spend up to $2000 out of pocket while those with type two diabetes spend up to $1500 in out-of-pocket expenses every year. One study found that this financial burden has negative consequences on Americans living with diabetes. Specifically, patients and families of lower income, and those that are uninsured face financial hardship with medical bills related to this condition.
Like diabetes, patients living with other chronic conditions face financial barriers, as the cost to access to prescription medication in the U.S. rises. In fact, a report by JAMA showed that one in five patients experience financial barriers to access their drugs as they were too expensive to take them as recommended.
I’m looking forward to discussions at Health Datapalooza that will examine how public health issues like this affect important policy discussions such as economic prosperity. For example, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, signed into law by President Biden, is one step in the right direction to alleviate cost burden on American people with chronic health conditions. But this is not an immediate solution for patients facing financial toxicity of high co-pays or out of pocket cost to access medications when trying to overcome health challenges. This election poses an opportunity to candidates from both sides of the aisle to provide informed policymaking centered around the needs of Americans, to enhance patients’ ability to access drugs needed to help them overcome health challenges.
The Use of Technology
The COVID-19 pandemic has proven how important it is for technology to be used in medicine and the delivery of health care. As a result, the digital transformation has led to policymaking that facilitates a digital transformation in the industry. Medicare telehealth flexibilities are set to expire on December 31, 2024, one month after the election. This begs the questions, what is to be expected for 65+ million Medicare patients, especially those currently leveraging telehealth services for the management of disease and illnesses? And what will happen to patients that may not qualify for telehealth based on their location, as it was pre-pandemic? This policy issue is pressing for Medicare beneficiaries, but it is an important one that highlights the role of policy in a modernized, digital world.
Similarly, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) has become an important part of the conversation for health care decision-makers. But what does it truly mean for patients? Can it lower out of pocket cost for patients? Can it improve how patients access care? Can it improve health care experiences or outcomes? Will it replicate human behavior of bias and cause further damage relating to health inequities in the United States? These are some questions that are top of mind for patients and sessions at Health Datapalooza will highlight current thinking in these areas. One thing is certain: proactive policymaking relating to how AI is used in health care is needed so that it can act as a solution to longstanding problems, and barriers patients face.
Trust in Public Health and Elected Officials
As the race towards the 2024 election intensifies, it is important to note that Americans’ trust in scientists and elected officials have been on the decline in recent years. In fact, only 29 percent of U.S. adults say they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public, down 40 percent in November 2020 (according to Pew Research Center). Race, ethnicity, education, and political affiliation are some factors that can influence Americans’ trust in public health and elected officials. Confusion about COVID-19 was commonplace at the height of the pandemic, due to polarizing news sources, misinformation on social media, the pace of scientific development etc., says KFF. This public mistrust is an alarming problem that needs swift addressing from policymakers ahead of the next public health emergency. I’m eager to hear what experts have to say on this issue in a Health Datapalooza fireside chat assessing public health’s progress and next steps.
Regardless of the winner of the 2024 elections, people living in the United States need sensible policymaking that will increase their health, improve their wellbeing, establish healthier communities with the use of data innovation and other interventions or tools intended to decrease health care cost, and improve health access and public health. That’s where the Health Datapalooza comes in. The Health Datapalooza is a unique annual event where Federal policymakers and regulatory leads take their seats beside our health system’s chief officers, Silicon Valley startups, public health professionals, and patients. Attendees can expect informative and timely panels such as, “Public Health in a Changing World: National Security and Economic Prosperity,” “How Technology and Data is Transforming Jurisdictions” and “the Art and Science of Public Health Storytelling in the Age of Misinformation.”
The 2024 Health Datapalooza will take place on September 16-17, 2024, in downtown, D.C. Anyone interested in the intersection between data innovation, informed policymaking, and health communities should attend. Register today.