APA endorsed (PDF, 246KB), in collaboration with 94 member organizations of the Friends of AHRQ, legislation (H.R. 8067) introduced by Rep. Don Beyer Jr. (D-Va.) directing the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to conduct or support research related to the United States health care system’s response to COVID-19 and other purposes. The bill supports research to:
- Expand and determine the efficacy of telehealth, including identifying obstacles to access for veterans, older adults, and communities of low-socioeconomic status.
- Evaluate and identify potential weaknesses in the health system that increase racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection rates and develop strategies for mitigating them.
- Create protocols that ensure that vulnerable groups have timely access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, informed by the existing racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection rates and health outcomes.
For more information, contact Angela L. Sharpe, MG.