On May 3, 2024, the Senate HELP Committee hosted a hearing entitled, “What can Congress do to address the severe shortage of minority health care professionals and the maternal health crisis?”
Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stated that the US health-care system is inefficient and ineffective. The US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare than any other country. However, eighty-five million people are uninsured or under-insured. Chairman Sanders indicated that the hearing was about the severe shortage of Black, Latino, and Indigenous doctors and medical professionals, and the disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality among Black, Latino, and Indigenous peoples.
Senator Butler (D-CA) stated that the US has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country. Black Americans are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white Americans. Also, Latino maternal mortality rate increased by 44 percent between 2019-2020. Further, Black infants are four times more likely to die from low birth weight. Senator Butler indicated that a third of the counties in the US are called Maternity Care Deserts due to the lack of appropriate medical professionals. Dr Stone highlighted that there are similarities between the health problems in the inner city and rural areas,
There was a consensus among the witnesses that addressing the shortage of minority doctors could positively impact Black, Latino, and Indigenous people’s maternal mortality rates. Dr Brian Stone indicated that when there is cultural connectivity between medical professionals and patients there is less distrust, which is a significant issue among the three minority groups. Dr Galvez and Dr Andrades spoke about the benefits of speaking the same language and representation in the provision of quality medical services. All the witnesses concurred about the importance of cultural competence in medicine and the reduction of bias that occurs when there is a shared culture. Senator Butler indicated that under the care of Black physicians, maternal mortality rate decreased by 50 percent.
The witnesses and committee members made many recommendations. Senator Casey (D-PA) indicated that all the current problems stem from a failure to ensure the five freedoms of a child: to learn, to be healthy, achieve economic security, to be free from hunger and to be safe from harm. Some of the other recommendations were: HBCU- more funding, larger medical school class sizes and available residencies, pass legislation such as the Black Maternal Momnibus Act of 2021, substantial increase in funding for the Women Infant and Children Program (WIC), significant increase in funding for the National Health Service Corp, cancel student debt, free public college, improve K-12 STEM education, mentorship programs for high school students, and fund pathway programs from community colleges.
By Aretha Shalanda Campbell, Policy Intern
