12/8/25 – Statement from National Hispanic Health Foundation President Dr. Elena Rios on the Impact of Ending Professional Classification of Public Health and other Health Professions
“The Department of Education’s decision to recategorize essential health degrees—including for nursing, public health, social work, physician associates, audiology, and physical therapy—as non-professional sends a troubling signal that these vital […]
11/10/2025 – Expanding Medicaid Coverage for Anti-Obesity Medications A Health Equity Imperative for New Mexico
November 10, 2025 The Honorable Michelle Lujan Grisham Governor of New Mexico 1 Mansion Drive Santa Fe, NM 87501 RE: Expanding Medicaid Coverage for Anti-Obesity Medications A Health Equity Imperative […]
10/1/2025 – Statement to Congress: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Autism
Statement to Congress Dear Colleagues, We would like to address our concerns for recent public statements and discussions suggesting that “the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and in pediatric patients […]
10/1/2025 – U.S. Department of Education Stops Hispanic-Serving Institution Discretionary Funding
U.S. Department of Education Stops Hispanic-Serving Institution Discretionary Funding From September 10th to September 15th, the U.S Department of Education (DOE) announced two major decisions that will reshape the federal […]
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:
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.
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.