Health Equity & Access Weekly Roundup: February 10, 2025

The Uncertain Road Ahead for Health Care After DEI Rollbacks

The diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) movement in health care, rooted in the Civil Rights Movement and evolving to address systemic disparities, faces a pivotal moment following the FDA’s removal of diversity guidance for clinical trials under President Donald J. Trump's executive order. DEI initiatives have historically improved patient outcomes, increased access to care, and fostered diverse workforces, but challenges persist, particularly in clinical trial representation. The rollback of DEI policies threatens workforce diversity and could exacerbate health disparities. Experts warn that these policy shifts may undermine progress in equitable health care access, precision medicine, and innovation, with potential long-term consequences for marginalized communities.

Medicaid Unwinding Left Thousands of Pediatric Patients Uninsured

During the unwinding of continuous Medicaid provisions, a new study found that 8.7% of pediatric patients receiving care at community-based health organizations became uninsured. Medicaid, which covers at least 40% of children, saw a decline of 5.5 million pediatric enrollees by October 2024. Using electronic health record data from OCHIN, researchers analyzed 450,146 children and found that older children, female patients, American Indian or Alaska Native children, and those with chronic conditions faced higher disenrollment risks. The study highlights concerns about access to care and calls for further research on the impact of Medicaid disenrollment on pediatric health outcomes.

Dr Debra Patt on Prior Authorization: Something Has to Give

Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, MPH, president of the Community Oncology Alliance, highlights the growing burden of prior authorization in oncology, calling it an "inappropriate barrier" that delays patient care and adds administrative costs. She advocates for legislative reform to address a CMS interpretation of the Stark Law that prohibits mailing oral cancer medications to patients, disproportionately affecting rural communities. With bipartisan and bicameral support for change, Patt remains optimistic that these issues will gain traction in the current legislative session, particularly given the increasing focus on rural health care challenges.

Study Reveals Gaps in Migraine Diagnosis, Treatment for Black and Hispanic Children

A new study published in Neurology found that Black and Hispanic children are significantly less likely to be diagnosed with migraine when seeking emergency care for headaches compared with their White peers. Analyzing over 160,000 emergency visits across 49 US children's hospitals, researchers found that only 28.2% of Black and 28.3% of Hispanic children received a migraine diagnosis, compared with 45.5% of White children. Black and Hispanic children were also less likely to receive MRI scans and were more often treated with oral rather than intravenous medications. These disparities highlight systemic inequities in pediatric headache care, prompting calls for further research and interventions to address gaps in diagnosis, testing, and treatment.

Bridging Gaps in Complex Care: Gladys Antelo-Allen

Camden Coalition has launched a skills lab to address the training gap for health care and social service professionals working in complex care. The initiative provides fast, focused microlessons on essential topics such as motivational interviewing, harm reduction, care planning, trauma-informed care, and de-escalation. The training introduces structured approaches like OARS (open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, summaries) for patient engagement, risk set and setting for harm reduction, patient-centered care planning, and strategies for managing personal triggers and resolving conflicts. Designed for busy professionals—including community health workers, peer support specialists, nurses, doctors, social workers, and case managers—the skills lab aims to equip them with practical tools to improve patient care while maintaining trust and professionalism.