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Health Policy

The Health Policy team advances health coverage, health care access and affordability, public health and equity, social determinants of health, and quality and efficiency in health care payment and delivery.

A health care professional measures a worker's blood pressure, 2005. (Getty/Smith Collection/Gado/Centers for Disease Control/CDC Connects)

What We're Doing

Building a strong, thriving, and equitable public health system

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored how essential a robust public health system is to safeguarding America’s health and well-being. We are working to ensure that the system is sustainable, well-funded, and ready to respond to future health threats. We also advance policies to reduce exposure to toxins and improve resilience to other threats, such as extreme weather events, that jeopardize the public’s health—especially in vulnerable communities.

Making health care accessible in ways that people can feel

Health insurance is only valuable if people can use it. We are working to bolster high-quality health coverage for everyone in America. We elevate policy solutions to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, lower out-of-pocket costs, make it easier for people to access their benefits, and close coverage gaps. We are also working to ensure that the Medicare program is meeting the needs of older Americans and are advocating for policies to dramatically lower the costs of prescription drugs.

Tackling high health care prices and combating anticompetitive behavior

America’s exceptional health care spending levels are driven by high prices and market concentration. We elevate policy solutions to combat further health care consolidation and to tamp down on anti-competitive behaviors across the health care industry. This includes shining a light on where money in health care is actually going, where market power lives, and who is profiting along the way. We also promote strong regulatory action to counter corporate greed in service of lowering health care prices for everyone.

Advancing health equity and dismantling structural barriers to health

Our health policy efforts are grounded in advancing health equity. In all that we do, we work to center the experiences and priorities of those with the most at stake—including low-income people, people of color, women, LGBTQI+ people, and people living with disabilities—in our efforts to improve health care access, reduce costs, and create healthy communities and systems that protect people from health threats. We also work in close partnership with others across the organization to advance policy changes that combat the structural barriers that prevent many people in America from equally sharing in health and prosperity.

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CAP Responds to Request for Information on Consolidation in Health Care Markets Article

CAP Responds to Request for Information on Consolidation in Health Care Markets

The Center for American Progress submitted a response to the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ request for information on consolidation in health care markets.

Natasha Murphy, Nicole Rapfogel, Alexandra Thornton, 3 More Marc Jarsulic, Andrea Ducas, Brian Keyser

Lowering Costs for American Families Past Event

Lowering Costs for American Families

Join CAP for a conversation with Neera Tanden, Domestic Policy Advisor to President Joe Biden.

Center for American Progress

Event Recap: State Policy Efforts To Enhance Consumer Protections in Health Care and Improve the Value of Insurance Article
End of a hospital bed seen through a door

Event Recap: State Policy Efforts To Enhance Consumer Protections in Health Care and Improve the Value of Insurance

The second session in the Center for American Progress’ state health care affordability series highlighted policies that Connecticut, Tennessee, and Texas have implemented to address common barriers that undermine affordability and compromise access to care.

Natasha Murphy

State Policy Efforts To Improve Prescription Drug Affordability for Consumers Past Event

State Policy Efforts To Improve Prescription Drug Affordability for Consumers

Join the Center for American Progress for a virtual discussion with state officials on initiatives to lower pharmaceutical costs and improve affordability and access.

Center for American Progress | Online

Film Screening: ‘The Bitter Pill’ Past Event

Film Screening: ‘The Bitter Pill’

A documentary about the biggest civil litigation in U.S. history that took on pharmaceutical companies and their role in the opioid epidemic. The film will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers.

Center For American Progress | 1333 H St. NW Washington DC 20005 | In-Person Only | Registration for this event has closed.

Event Recap: Affordability Beyond Premiums Article
Registered nurses sit at their desks while working at a medical center.

Event Recap: Affordability Beyond Premiums

The first session in the Center for American Progress’ state health care affordability series highlighted policies in New Mexico, California, and New Jersey to lower out-of-pocket costs for marketplace enrollees.

Natasha Murphy

2024 Affordable Care Act Marketplace Plan Selections by Congressional District Interactive
A staff nurse checks a patient at a hospital.

2024 Affordable Care Act Marketplace Plan Selections by Congressional District

A new CAP interactive explores the proportion of nonelderly people who made federally facilitated marketplace plan selections during the 2024 open enrollment period by congressional district. Without congressional action, consumers will lose the enhanced financial assistance that supported record levels of enrollment.

Nicole Rapfogel

Monthly Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Savings by State Interactive
Farxiga, Xarelto, Entresto, and Eliquis are made available to customers at the New City Halsted Pharmacy in Chicago.

Monthly Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Savings by State

Medicare drug price negotiation will result in thousands of dollars in net price savings for 30-day supplies of the first 10 drugs undergoing negotiation; here’s how those savings add up state by state.

Nicole Rapfogel

Executive Summary: How Federal Investments in Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Are Improving Public Health Fact Sheet
Photo shows a hand holding a clear glass underneath a running faucet

Executive Summary: How Federal Investments in Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Are Improving Public Health

This fact sheet summarizes a recent Center for American Progress report highlighting the use of federal investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to replace dangerous lead service lines and advance public health among vulnerable communities.

Jill Rosenthal, Allie Schneider, Hailey Gibbs, 1 More Mariam Rashid

CAP Files Amicus Curiae Briefs Highlighting Importance of the Inflation Reduction Act in Lowering Drug Prices Article

CAP Files Amicus Curiae Briefs Highlighting Importance of the Inflation Reduction Act in Lowering Drug Prices

These briefs emphasize the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare prescription drug price negotiation program for affordability and health equity.

Sophia Weaver, Marquisha Johns, Andrea Ducas, 3 More Jamie Crooks, Devon Ombres, Ben Olinsky

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