On Saturday, May 20th, 2023, the Tufts Community Health Workers Engaging in Integrated Care (COHERE) program held its graduation ceremony for its inaugural class at Tufts University School of Medicine. The day was a celebration of the achievements of the program’s first 40 participants.  Description: COHERE and Tufts Department of Public Health & Community Medicine leadership smile and pose with graduating trainees. Left to right: Kimberly Dong, Lydia Adjetey, Fernando Ona, Patrick Vivier, Peggy NarteyDescription: COHERE community partners and leadership pose with Councilor Mejia Left ..read more

In a disheartening turn of events, the United States is grappling with the controversial issue of banning gender-affirming care, a crucial aspect of health care for transgender and gender-diverse individuals. Such a ban not only denies individuals the right to access essential medical services but also perpetuates discrimination and inequality. These bans pose a significant threat to transgender and nonbinary populations in America through various consequences and ethical implications. Gender-affirming care refers to medical treatments and procedures that support individuals in aligning their ..read more

While the nation has been focused on the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, a new courtroom drama has threatened to affect health care coverage for millions of Americans.  In March 2023, a Texas judge struck down an Affordable Care Act provision that required private insurance companies to fully cover all preventive care services with no cost sharing for patients. This ruling came down after an initial lawsuit was filed in 2020, Braidwood Management Inc. v. Becerra, challenging this provision in the Affordable Care Act. The Texas ruling was set to apply nationwide and take effect im ..read more

In April of 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy issued new guidance on the use of Medicaid coverage for substance use disorders in prison settings. This change allows states to ask for federal funding for Medicaid coverage of substance use treatment up to three months ahead of someone’s release. The goals of this policy change are to ease care transitions for people needing substance use disorder treatment and enable timely Medicaid coverage for our most vulnerable populations while also aiming to improve health disparities and reent ..read more

Proposed legislation to increase investment in primary care and decrease health inequities The Massachusetts House and Senate have referred a new bill on primary care to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. This bill, Senate No. 750, is sponsored by Senator Cindy F. Friedman and has three goals: 1) double primary care investment, 2) decrease health inequities, and 3) transform the predominant payment model for primary care from fee-for-service to a monthly prospective payment. Spending on primary care accounted for 7.6% of total health care dollars spent in Massachusetts in 2020. The ..read more

On May 11, 2023, the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) will end. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed into law in March 2020, requiring several policy changes that would persist through the end of the Public Health Emergency.  These policy changes included eliminating cost-sharing for COVID-19 related visits and enhanced federal match for Medicaid. As a condition of enhanced federal funding, states were prohibited from removing people from their Medicaid programs. Nationwide, a record 90 million people are currently enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP and as many as 15 mil ..read more

On Saturday, February 4th, 2023, Tufts Community Health Workers Engaging in Integrated Care (COHERE) celebrated the official launch of its inaugural class with a ribbon cutting ceremony at Tufts University School of Medicine.   COHERE is a HRSA-funded community health worker training program within the Tufts Center for Health Systems and Policy. COHERE aims to impact health equity by strengthening local health systems and training community members who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to be CHWs. COHERE’s goal is to increase the diversity of CHWs to promote health e ..read more

In the face of a harrowing war in Ukraine and deep domestic political divide, President Joe Biden spoke poignantly about the power of unity and offered an array of public health policy priorities for action in the first State of the Union address of his term. By speaking about universal experiences, he galvanized the nation and highlighted the strengths of democracy. A mix of controversial topics—like regulation of prescription drug prices—and less contentious topics— like cancer research— allowed the president to further his administration’s agenda while simultaneously ins ..read more

By Erin Mooz, Ann Nguyen, Aditi Vaidya, and Signe Flieger Voter Registration Deadline: October 29, 2022 Vote by Mail Application Deadline: November 1, 2022 Early Voting: October 22 – November 4 Election Day: November 8, 2022, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Find Your Polling Place Here There are four questions on the statewide Massachusetts ballot this year, each of which have public health implications.  Question 1: Additional Tax on Income Over One Million Dollars Summary: A yes vote would amend the state constitution to add an additional 4% state income tax (increasing from 5% to 9%) on “that port ..read more

Access to abortion is necessary for health and well-being. The recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization will have devastating impacts on the future of abortion access in the United States. As an abortion scholar and advocate, I was gutted by the majority opinion declaring that “the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled.” This legal interpretation will not stop the movement for reproductive justice or the commitment of clinics to provide care. Addressing reproductive health inequalities re ..read more