ACCESSING HEALTH EQUITY


IR legislation


How UFE legislation success sets a precedent for URM healthcare Katharine L. Krol, MD, FSIR, Julie C. Bulman, MD, and Judi Buckalew, BSN, MPH, CAE


I


t is almost impossible to discuss healthcare disparities—especially among Black women—without mentioning fibroids. While over


two-thirds of women will experience uterine fibroids by age 50, 60% of Black women will develop fibroids by age 35. Not only do they develop fibroids earlier, but Black women are more likely to develop fibroids more frequently,


Glossary


Intersectionality: The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.


22 IRQ | WINTER 2023


form larger ones and experience severe symptoms.1


preserves the uterus and has a shorter recovery period than a hysterectomy, which is the traditional treatment.3


Black women are


also two to three times more likely to undergo hysterectomy and require hospitalization for fibroid treatment compared to white women.2


Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a revolutionary therapy that can treat fibroids in a noninvasive manner that


The data and evidence that UFE can be a life-changing treatment for Black women is clear. But just because we’ve found a solution, doesn’t mean the problem is resolved. UFE is one of many treatments that could benefit underserved populations but often have difficulty reaching that demographic due to systemic barriers to care. Recent victories with UFE awareness have highlighted a legislative path forward to break down those barriers.


How a need becomes a law Last year, new Rhode Island state legislation was passed that helped address these barriers. It says, in part,


This act would provide healthcare coverage for laparoscopic removal


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40