COVID Update December 9: 6 weeks ago we kicked off an effort to listen to the people on the front lines, essential workers & experts to paint an image of what needs to change.

Today, the first product, a set of recommendations to @transition46 Biden-Harris transition team.1/

This effort was carried out by @USofCare, the non-profit I founded 2 1/2 years ago & chair. This work is intended as a 1st step so we do not forget the lessons of the moment— even as we live through it.

And to give the Biden Administration & Congress specific recommendations.2/

It is essential that we capture more & more voices not heard before. Voices included a public survey, nurses, doctors, epidemiologists, HIV experts, disability advocates, mental health leaders & former state health officials & governors. 3/

Four principal categories of recommendations emerged:
1- immediate COVID & economic response
2- expanding coverage
3- meeting mental health demand
4- embedding equity into our health care system 4/ https://unitedstatesofcare.org/blog/usofcare-federal-transition-memo-administrative-legislative-health-policy-priorities-for-2021-and-beyond/

There are of course many other topics that came up, but the memo contains very specific recommendations for Congress and the new Administration related specifically to health care.

They represent the people longest ignored & most impacted by the pandemic. 5/

84% of Americans we surveyed agreed we need “to build a better & more equitable health care system.” Americans defined what they want out of a health care.

That meant 4 specific things to people. 6/

If you don’t want to review the document you can scan some of the very high level recommendations:
-vaccine distribution prioritizing ppl most at risk & w disabilities
-rebuilding testing, contact tracing infrastructure
-paying for tests based on turnaround times

7/ https://twitter.com/repsherrill/status/1336799117335556096

-Addressing the challenge of incarcerated people. Of the 100 largest clusters, 90 of them have occurred in prisons &
-Expanding telehealth & access to BIPOC communities
-New ACA enrollment
-Auto enrollment for uninsured Americans 8/

-Hime & community services for people w disabilities
-Closing the Medicaid coverage gap
-Increasing subsidies
-Improving mental health capacity
-Money for states & schools
-Increased federal Medicaid patch
-Support for small businesses 9/

-Imcreasing public health workforce
-Increasing workforce diversity
-Specific proposals to address the suicide epidemic
-Reversing Trump anti-diversity initiatives
-Declaring racism a public health emergency 10/

Getting from people’s real problems to specific policy recommendations (those above are rather high level) is really painstaking work.

Most policies are made by a different process— compromise between Hill staff in concert with lobbyists with little to no patient input. 11/

This process, pioneered by @USofCare isn’t perfect but it’s better. The goal at @USofCare is to provide human centered policy input. 12/

Now let’s talk about the reality.

Right now, Americans by large margins don’t want to go back to the old way of doing things. They want permanent reforms. 13/

People recognize that things before the pandemic we’re bad for many people & caused unfair suffering. And they don’t want to go back.

But @Laurie_Garrett believes that Republicans & Democrats part significantly here. Democrats want to invest, Republicans want to pull back. Listen here:

14/ http://Smarturl.it/inthebubble 

Those who believe that COVID was a was perpetuated on the public will react one way.

Those who want to race back to the comfort of their old life will react another. 15/

Those who want a real safety net will react one way.

Those who believe the budget deficit is our greatest evil will react another. 16/

Those who believe the pandemic exposed our sins will react one way.

Those who believed this was overblown anyway will react another. 17/

The COVID teams of the 2 Administrations represent these 2 philosophies.
The Senate races in Georgia are about these philosophies. 18/

On a day like today with more than 3000 people dead it’s hard to imagine the suffering ending. In fact, today is the hardest day of the pandemic.

But even on days like today, we need to keep a record of what needs to change. 19/

We need to capture the voices that will need to be listened to and lead us out of this mess. Not just back to where we were, but to a better place where we care for each other better. 20/

Whether half the country believes it or not doesn’t much matter to me. That’s what laws are for. That’s the process that needs to get underway. /end