The Public Health Fixes That Missed the Omnibus

(Originally published by JAMA Health Forum on February 9, 2023)

As the third year of the COVID-19 emergency draws to a close, policy makers have begun to assess and apply its lessons for health policy. At the national level, the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill that Congress passed in December 2022 reflects some of what the nation has learned from the pandemic. The legislation responds to several urgent needs, yet only narrowly addresses some of the critical determinants of pandemic preparedness.

The pandemic exacerbated a set of already profound health issues: maternal and infant mortality, opioid use disorder, mental health problems, poor access to care in the rural US, and health inequities.

(Continue reading the opinion essay on JAMA Health Forum’s page here.)