Resources
Medical Debt Toolkit: My unpaid medical bill was sent to collection
If you don’t pay your medical bill, the provider can sue you for payment or sell your debt to a collection company. If you fail to pay your bills, it can also hurt your credit score. However, some states have laws that prohibit health care providers from using certain collection practices against patients to collect unpaid medical bills.
View this resourceA Strategic Framework for Addressing Long COVID Disparities through Community Engagement
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated historical and persistent disparities in health and highlighted the impact of systemic and structural racism among marginalized racial and ethnic communities.
View this resourceNon-Profit Hospitals and the Medical Debt Crisis in America
Many non-profit hospitals aren’t living up to their promise to community – and it’s having significant impacts on the health and financial security of people. With 4 in 10 adults experiencing health care debt in America, and the majority of individuals who are in debt to hospitals having insurance, it’s clear the problem is widespread and deserves federal action.
View this resourceEngaging Black Women With Lived Experience in Research Studies: Recommendations to Researchers
What do Black women, who have endured the trauma, stigma, and life consequences related to experience with substance use disorder (SUD) and the criminal legal system involvement (CLSI) need from…
Community Perspectives on Access, Quality, and Invasiveness of Dental Care
Our Approach In collaboration with community-based and advocacy organizations, Community Catalyst hosted listening sessions with community members in three states: Colorado, Nebraska and Ohio. Key Themes Key themes were uncovered…
Why Does Oral Health Matter?
Dental disease hurts more than our teeth. It’s tied to our overall health. Tooth decay can risk our physical, mental, and economic wellbeing. It also strains state budgets. Policy barriers…
Essential Health Benefits: Gaps and Inconsistencies
What are Essential Health Benefits (EHBs)? In the simplest of terms: Essential Health Benefits (EHBs) are the health care services that most health plans across the country must cover: services…
Adopting Oral Health Integration to Advance Minimally-Invasive Care
Having access to a full range of oral health services can improve peoples’ oral and overall health, their dental care experience, and their ability to choose the care that’s right…
Minimally-Invasive Care and a Representative Workforce
Minimally-Invasive Care and a Representative Oral Health Workforce Introduction When traditional dental procedures — like drilling and filling cavities and pulling teeth — are medically necessary, access to them is…
Avoid Stigmatizing Individuals with Substance Use Disorders
Language matters when it comes to advocating with and for individuals with substance use disorders. Many of the common terms used to describe people with problematic use of drugs and…
Expanding Access to Oral Health Care: An Overview of Dental Therapy
Dental therapists are highly trained oral health practitioners that work with dental teams similar to the way physicians’ assistants work with medical teams. Along with providing education and preventive services,…
Guide to Oral Health Data Sources
This resource provides information on oral health data and sources that advocates can use to describe access to care barriers, oral health problems, and disparities, and to make the case…
Improving Access to Dental Care: Beyond Reimbursement Rates
The relationship between reimbursement rates and access to care with several additional policy solutions that center equity and community voice.