Last week’s presidential inauguration offered messages of unity and a hopeful path forward. As the transfer of power continues amid a global pandemic, it’s clear COVID is President Biden’s top priority.

Less than 24 hours after assuming office, he and his administration released a nearly 200-page plan to combat the virus, speed up vaccinations, and reopen schools and businesses.

We expect new federal actions aimed at fulfilling President Biden’s goal to get 100 million vaccinations into arms in his first 100 days—a pace of 1 million per day.

We’re also considering the fate of the Affordable Care Act. As a candidate, Biden promised to build and improve on ACA, a signature achievement when he served as Vice President.

We anticipate our Total Cost of Care Model will be viewed favorably as we advocate for its permanency. We’ll work closely with the Health Services Cost Review Commission and our federal delegation to ensure the new administration understands the value of our unique rate-setting model.

Despite the unknowns, there is clear effort to address health inequity including an executive order to ensure equitable pandemic response and recovery. And, President Biden named the first-ever presidential adviser with a sole focus on combating racism and racial disparities in health care, Marcella Nunez-Smith, M.D.

Let’s all keep in mind the wise words from youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem as you continue to meet your communities’ needs during the ongoing COVID pandemic and MHA continues to partner with federal representatives to advance national policy.

“So while once we asked,
how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?
Now we assert
How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?”

Bob Atlas
President & CEO