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Big changes are shaking up healthcare in America, and it’s a lot to take in. The institutions we’ve always trusted for preventive health—like the CDC, FDA, and Medicare/Medicaid—are under fire. Leadership at HHS looks like it’s about to shift to someone with little experience and barely any support from the medical community. Even more concerning, this new leader has questioned vaccines and supported conspiracy theories. For underserved communities and communities of color, the outlook is even worse. Health equity programs that are essential to their well-being could face big cuts, leaving providers with fewer resources to help those who need it most.
And it’s not just public programs—those with private insurance aren’t safe either. Premiums are rising, benefits are shrinking, and there’s no real plan to rein in the outrageous cost of medical care. The Affordable Care Act is constantly under attack, with replacement proposals that often cut benefits for the most vulnerable. On top of that, transparency about the country’s health is expected to decline, and critical NIH research funding may dry up, putting years of progress in health equity at risk.
But it doesn’t stop there. The U.S. is pulling out of key national and international health agreements and slashing funding for vulnerable nations. There’s this dangerous assumption that American health isn’t connected to global health—a lesson we should’ve learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fight for health equity could backslide, undoing the momentum we had during the pandemic when these issues got more attention.
So, what can we do? Boycotting the new leadership isn’t going to get us anywhere—they’re here for at least the next four years. Instead, we need to find ways to open dialogue with this administration. Patients and providers will need to take action. Patients can start by building their own health networks and turning to trustworthy, transparent platforms like Blackdoctor.org for information. Providers need to ramp up their advocacy efforts, pushing harder than ever for equal access to quality care.
The road ahead won’t be easy, but resilience and action are going to be key. The fight for health equity isn’t over, and we can’t afford to lose it. Let’s keep pushing forward.
Stay Healthy,
Dr. Mike
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