{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sewell.house.gov/2022/5/rep-sewell-and-sen-booker-introduce-legislation-advance-health-equity", "Rep. Sewell and Sen. Booker Introduce Legislation to Advance Health Equity and Access to Care", "2022-05-13", "2022", "2022-05", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri A. Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", "sewell", "https://sewell.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) introduced H.R. 7755, the John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment (EMMT) Act, in the House of Representatives. This legislation would advance health equity and access to care for minority communities by requiring the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to work with experts to consider health disparities when developing payment models. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) on April 7.\n\n\u201cOur late colleague, Congressman John Lewis, knew that in order to achieve true justice, we must be intentional about increasing access to health care for communities of color,\u201d said Rep. Sewell. \u201cAs co-chair of the Ways and Means Committee\u2019s Racial Equity Initiative, I\u2019m committed to advancing his legacy by bringing health equity to the forefront of our policy agenda. By ensuring that the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation considers the impact of new payment models on communities of color, the John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment Act will help us reduce racial disparities and build a fairer and more just health care system. I\u2019m proud to join Senator Booker in introducing this bill and urge my colleagues to give it their full support.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe current health care system contains numerous disparities in health equity and access to care, a fact that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,\u201d said Sen. Booker. \u201cMy dear colleague John Lewis understood this and fought to make our health care system fairer. I am proud to continue this fight with this bicameral legislation that would make critical reforms to our health care system, helping our nation address health disparities and improve health outcomes, especially for underserved communities.\u201d\n\nEstablished by the Affordable Care Act, CMMI works to develop, test, and implement new value-based payment models. Under current law, however, CMMI is not required to consider social determinants of health\u2014such as a patient\u2019s environment, education, and economic status\u2014when implementing and testing new payment models. The current status quo incentivizes health providers to pick patients who will produce favorable clinical outcomes, which leaves women, people in rural communities, and Black and Brown people sidelined in the development of payment models.\n\nThe John Lewis EMMT Act would direct CMMI to consult with experts on health disparities, such as the Office of Minority Health of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, and the Office on Women\u2019s Health, on developing new payment models that focus not only on lowering costs but also advancing health equity and improving access to care.\n\nSpecifically, the John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment Act directs CMMI to:\n\nConsider a model\u2019s impact on access to care for people of color, women, and people in rural areas, in addition to cost and quality.\n\nInclude experts in health disparities and social determinants of health during the evaluation and review process for new payment models.\n\nDirects CMMI to create a Social Determinants of Health Model that focuses on health conditions of those dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, behavioral health, and maternal mortality.\n\n\u201cMovement is Life applauds Representative Sewell for her leadership in addressing the disparities in healthcare that are hurting so many in our country,\u201d said Mary O\u2019Connor, MD and Chair of Movement is Life. \u201cBy addressing how payment models are created\u2014with a focus on promoting health equity\u2014this landmark legislation will help address the systemic racism and discrimination present in our healthcare system and support access for all to the high quality care we would each want for ourselves and our loved ones.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman John Lewis worked tirelessly to ensure that Medicare supported every beneficiary, in every community,\u201d said Barbara Petee, President of the Root Cause Coalition. \u201cIn rural or urban areas alike, we must come together, across sectors, to ensure care for those who are not as healthy or wealthy. The Root Cause Coalition applauds Representative Sewell for her ongoing leadership in health care. The John Lewis EMMT Act is a crucial step in addressing social determinants and improving health outcomes across the country.\u201d\n\nThe John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment Act is also supported by:\n\nAcademy of Medical-Surgical Nurses\n\nAcenda Integrated Health\n\nAsian Services In Action, Inc.\n\nBeyond Hunger\n\nBlue Cross Blue Shield Association\n\nCenter for Health and Social Care Integration at Rush University Medical Center\n\nCeres Community Project\n\nCollaborative Consulting\n\nCommunities of Excellence 2026\n\nCommunity Allies\n\nCommunity Servings\n\nCyncHealth\n\nFARE\n\nFood for Thought\n\nGreen and Healthy Homes Initiative\n\nHouston Food Bank\n\nHunger To Health Collaboratory\n\nInstitute for Advancing Health Value\n\nLocal Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)\n\nLoma Linda University Health\n\nMid-Ohio Food Collective\n\nNational Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON)\n\nNational Black Nurses Association\n\nNeighborhood Family Practice\n\nOpen Hand Atlanta\n\nOperation Food Search\n\nOsteoarthritis Action Alliance\n\nPatient Access Network (PAN) Foundation\n\nPopulation Health Analytics Association Incorporated\n\nPresbyterian Healthcare Services\n\nProMedica\n\nRWJBarnabas Health\n\nSt. Louis Area Foodbank\n\nThe Area Office on Aging of Northwest Ohio\n\nThe MetroHealth System\n\nToledo/Lucas County CareNet\n\nTown of Apex, North Carolina\n\nWholesome Wave\n\nThe legislation enjoys the support of 5 original cosponsors in the House of Representatives: Reps. Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Thomas Suozzi (NY-03), and Marilyn Strickland (WA-10).\n\nThe Senate version is cosponsored by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:29:07Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sewell.house.gov/2022/5/rep-sewell-and-sen-booker-introduce-legislation-advance-health-equity"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8263830095529556, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}