At the Table and On the Record: BWHI’s Policy Moves

At the Black Women’s Health Imperative, our team isn’t just present in the rooms where decisions are made—we’re bringing the data, and the lived experiences of Black women with us. While recently at the US State Capitol, they met with 13 congressional offices that represent both the House of Representatives and the Senate, including both Democrats and Republicans, in order to emphasize BWHI’s policy priorities and our core areas of focus: maternal health, medicaid and the 340(b) drug pricing program, contraceptive equity, and the intersection of public health and technology/AI.  We know the stakes are high: this week alone, legislators proposed over $700 billion in cuts to Medicaid, a program that nearly one-third of Black Americans rely on for life-saving care.

Did you know?

• Over 8 million Black children rely on Medicaid and CHIP for routine checkups, asthma treatment, and early developmental screenings.
• Millions of Black adults with chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer depend on it for medications and access to specialists.
• 1.1 million Black seniors use Medicaid for in-home care and long-term support.
• Nearly 2 in 3 births among Black women are covered by Medicaid—cutting it would worsen a maternal mortality crisis that is already devastating our communities.

These cuts aren’t just budget decisions—they’re life-or-death choices. While families struggle to access basic care, legislators are proposing to gut Medicaid while advancing tax breaks for the top 1 percent.. That’s not just wrong—it’s dangerous. 

That’s why we show up. Protecting healthcare is part of our policy pillars, because at BWHI, we know that health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s connected to every system our communities touch, especially education. That’s why we also joined over 120 organizations in urging Congress to reject efforts to dismantle the Department of Education under Executive Order 14242.

Learn About Executive Order 14242

Access to education is a public health issue. When students have equitable resources and support, they’re more likely to thrive in school, in their health, and across their lives. Weakening the Department of Education would deepen disparities and further marginalize Black women, LGBTQ+ youth, students with disabilities, and low-income communities.

This is what advocacy looks like. And we’re just getting started.