Rockefeller Partnership to Increase Vaccine Uptake in Houston, Texas
It is now widely understood that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted Latinos in the U.S., resulting in a higher risk of infection, hospitalization, and death than their white counterparts. Unfortunately, this extends to Hispanic children as well. In fact, a new study by the CDC found that Hispanic children were eight times more likely than white children to be hospitalized because of COVID-19. Expanding vaccination rates among Latino children and families is crucial if we want to ensure that this already vulnerable population can vigorously overcome the virus.
Hispanic Health Care to Know
Medicare Advantage is now the primary form of Medicare coverage in the United States. Over 55% of Medicare beneficiaries1 — more than 34 million Americans — choose Medicare Advantage for high-quality, comprehensive care at a lower cost than Fee-For-Service Medicare with key priorities:
NHHF Convenes the Hispanic Health Professionals Network
The National Hispanic Health Foundation convened the leaders from the groups we have worked with for over 20 years – collaborating on our National Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship. Those groups are called the Hispanic Health Professionals Network and all have their own annual conference, chapters, programs and members. The virtual meeting took place on March 5, 2025 and the purpose was to share key ways we can continue to collaborate with the NHHF Focus Areas:
2/19/25 – Hispanic Leadership
Today I spent the day at the National Association of Hispanic Nurses Policy Summit gaining knowledge on health policies being debated over the last few years in Congress that impact access and affordability to health care — obesity disease preclinical and clincal care being covered by Medicare and Medicaid and insurance eventually; discount patient medication programs such as the 340B support to hospitals and their contract pharmacies to pass on to low income patients; and the need to look at chronic disease treatment by physicians without step therapy…as well as prevention support…
And ended the day at the Ambassador from Spain’s residence hosting Latino CEOs of national and local organizatoins on a discussion on how to continue to build new efforts in this era with federal government and its bold changes (decreasing workforce and funding) creating uncertainty and anxiety in our communities and organizations, not to mention health care programs that are being scrutinized (nutrition, prevention, DEI, LGBTQ, price controls of medications) for new policy directions that can still advance health equity.
Diversity is the Foundation of America
The United States of America was founded on the land of indigenous peoples in the 1400’s by European explorers, among them Cristopher Columbus for Spain and others who followed from England, Spain, France, the rest of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Mexico was ruled by Spanish and French before independence and mainly occupied what is the western U.S. until 1848. Thus the U.S. population Hispanic/Latinos are about 64% Mexican American,and the others are from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain and are 1 out of 5 Americans today. The Spanish language is the second greatest spoken language in the nation and our culture, diet, music, values and our people and their small businesses have spending power that is fundamental to the U.S. economy.
The new policy on meritocracy by the Trump Administration will be an experiment to show that all can become better students and workers if held to one standard. But we know that it is the wealthy and those with legacy and networks who gain acceptances in higher numbers to universities and top jobs in most of our institutions.
9/30/24 – September 2024 Reflections
This September I have focused on the National Hispanic Health Foundation presence in our Leadership, Research and Education major activites:
Leadership –
The NHHF California Leadership Fellowship Washington, DC Institute brought together our Class of 2024 physicians to meet leaders from the Congress and US Department of Health and Human Services, Think Tanks – Cato Institute and the Center for American Progress, Prevention leaders from Tobacco Free Kids and FDA Center for Tobacco Products, partners for Diversity in Medicine: White House Hispanic American Education Initiative and HRSA, Women’s Health: ACOG and ACS; as well as Leadership Skills – Federal Budget Process, Leadership Plans, Conflict Management and of course – executive leadership reflections for the end of the year-long program. Our Fellows were joined by the NHMA group this year and we look forward to presenting their Policy Analysis Team Projects at the 2025 NHMA Conference.
6/26/24 – June 2024 NHHF Advocacy Activities
This month, I increased my advocacy activities as President of the National Hispanic Health Foundation and was honored to speak at two Congressional Briefings—with the National Minority Quality Forum and the American GI Association—and also participated in small group meetings with Congress staff on the need to address obesity policy to decrease chronic diseases.
I also followed up on our NHHF/NHMA Capitol Hill visits from April 12 to start follow-up meetings on priorities for Hispanic health with Congress offices across the nation.
5/9/24 – May 2024 Advocacy Activities
NHHF and NHMA were highlighted as I spoke at several organizations’ events in Washington, DC, this month:
National Consumers League Vaccine Confidence Webinar Roundtable – Discussed lessons learned with our NHMA Vaccinate For All and NHHF Rockefeller Mini-Grant Program on how to educate Latino families about the importance of vaccines, especially about COVID-19, RSV, and Influenza.
NHMA and NHHF 30th Anniversary Leadership Summit
NHHF and NHMA hosted 275 participants in Washington, DC, on April 12 – 13, 2024, to participate in Congressional Visits to advocate for Access to Care by protecting the Affordable Care Act prevention programs, expanding Medicaid, and focusing on obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, HIV, tobacco control; and for increasing Latinos in medicine by policies that create new institutions (regional medical schools) and advance diversity programs in STEM, research experience, mentoring and financing medical education (new GME slots, loan repayment). We also cohosted the White House Briefing on the Biden Administration accomplishments that impact the health of Latinos and considering a political appointment. We thank the staff and Office of Public Engagement, the White House.
Day 2 was a summit that started with the story of the history leading up to the establishment of NHMA. Dr. David Hayes Bautista provided the context of the 1960s in the U.S. when Latino college students developed clubs for prehealth students. In California, for example, the CCM and CHE groups were created across the state. As the leaders became professionals, they went to different states. Elena Rios’s history was announced as an activist and organizer — started recruiting poor students at Stanford, started the California statewide Chicano/Latino Medical Student Association in 1983, and the NHMA in 1994. Founders described their roles and challenges to the future: Collaboration, Leaning Latino Culture into Leadership, Enrichment of our NHHF Scholarship to help the next generation, and Partnership Development. Participants were assigned to four working sessions that resulted in strategies for NHMA and NHHF in the next five years: Increase Latinos in Medicine; Create health communications to other physicians about Latino health; Expand advocacy activities to Federal and State policymakers; and Develop partners to support executive leadership and clinical research training.
Women’s Health is Key to Quality Health Care
As we start Women’s History Month this year, the United States faces major challenges from policymakers and lawyers/judges in the court system who are motivated to keep women without reproductive health or choice.