Booker Reintroduces 'John Lewis EMMT Act' to Put Health Equity at the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced the John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment (EMMT) Act, legislation that would require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to work with experts on health disparities when developing new payment models.

"Access to health care is a fundamental human right, and it's long past time our policies reflected that," said Senator Booker. "Congressman John Lewis spent his life fighting for equal treatment under the law. Reintroducing this bill is about honoring his legacy with action and making sure our health care system works for every American, regardless of race, income, or zip code."

"Movement is Life proudly supports reintroduction of the John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment Act. This legislation will help ensure that new Medicare payment models address the unique challenges facing rural and underserved communities.Movement is Life thanks Senator Booker for continuing Congressman John Lewis's historic legacy," said Mary I. O'Connor, M.D., Chair, Movement is Life.

CMMI, created by the Affordable Care Act, develops and tests new value-based payment models for Medicare and Medicaid. But it is not required to consider social determinants of health, such as a patient's environment, education, or economic circumstances. As a result, these models can reward providers for treating healthier patients while overlooking those who face the greatest barriers to care, leaving women, rural Americans, and Black and Brown communities underrepresented in how the models are designed.

Read the John Lewis EMMT Act one pager here.

The full legislation is available here.