DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority Commits to Addressing Health Disparities

The DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority executive board voted Thursday to adopt a new benefit to address health disparities for patients with heart disease (cardiovascular disease) and cerebrovascular disease (including stroke survivors).

The benefit design was developed by its stakeholder Standard Plans Working Group with help from a nationally recognized cardiologist identified through the American Heart Association. Starting in Plan Year 2025, individuals covered by a DC Health Link standard plan will no longer have copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for visits with their primary doctor (including family medicine or internal medicine doctor) for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular care.

The executive board also removed cost sharing for all generic prescription drugs and services related to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, as well as for laboratory tests and imaging including CT scans and electrocardiograms.

Heart disease was the leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, according to research published in the American Heart Association Journal Circulation. The rate of Black District residents who die from heart disease is 2.5 times higher than white residents.

Additionally, 10.1% of Black residents and 12.9% of Latino residents compared to 6.1% of white residents report not seeing a doctor because of cost.

“Eliminating cost sharing for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, conditions that disproportionally impact communities of color, will save lives,” said Diane C. Lewis, MPA, chair of the DCHBX executive board and chair of the DCHBX Social Justice and Health Disparities Working Group. “DCHBX is committed to addressing health disparities and getting equity in health coverage and care. We are using every tool available to us in our state-based marketplace. We know that financial barriers to care are a major contributor to differences in health outcomes based on race and ethnicity. And most importantly, we will help save lives.”