Kaine Leads Push to Examine Ageism’s Impacts on Quality and Equity of Health Care
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Follow this link to see original post: https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-leads-push-to-examine-ageisms-impacts-on-quality-and-equity-of-health-care
Today, on Ageism Awareness Day, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a group of senators in sending a letter to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) requesting that the agency examine the impact of ageism on quality and equity of care, patient safety, and health outcomes. Ageism in health care is associated with a decreased likelihood that older adults will receive care that meets medical guidelines, an increased likelihood that they are not properly reimbursed for care, and exclusion from clinical trials and other research that is available to the public generally.
“While ageism is often subtle, it is woven into our workforce, our health care system, and our everyday interactions,” wrote the senators.
“Ageism within health care leads to poorer health outcomes, avoidable morbidity, and costly preventable adverse events. Ageism costs the health care system $63 billion annually. In health care, ageism is expressed in our policies, the practices of health care providers, and negative assumptions held by older adults themselves,” they continued.
The senators specifically asked the AHRQ for answers to the following questions:
- What is the full scope of ageism within health care?
- What is the impact of ageism and intersectionality on both the micro and macro levels of health care related to health equity and outcomes?
- What is the evidence for interventions to address ageism and promote age inclusivity in health care?
Kaine has long worked to address the needs of older Americans. This past July, he helped secure key provisions in the HELP committee-passed bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, which supports a wide range of programs and services to help older Americans remain in their homes and connected to their communities.
In addition to Kaine, the letter was signed by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Angus King (I-ME) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Full text of the senators’ letter is available here.