Bill Overview
Title: AHEAD Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) to study, and make certain recommendations concerning, the use of health impact assessments or other tools to evaluate the effect of proposed federal legislation on health and health disparities. When developing recommendations to incorporate these tools into the federal legislative process, the National Academies must consult with the Government Accountability Office, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Congressional Research Service.
Sponsors: Rep. Trone, David J. [D-MD-6]
Target Audience
Population: People worldwide impacted by federal laws concerning health evaluations.
Estimated Size: 330000000
- The bill focuses on using health impact assessments to evaluate federal legislation, which could potentially affect any proposed federal policy.
- As it involves health disparities, it is likely to impact populations that currently experience or are at risk of health inequalities.
- The goal of incorporating health impact assessments is to provide better decision-making for policies that affect public health.
- Different socio-economic groups, especially those marginalized, could see changes in how policies address their health needs.
Reasoning
- The AHEAD Act of 2022 primarily affects the federal legislative process which can indirectly affect a wide swath of the U.S. population, especially as it includes considering health disparities.
- People who experience health inequalities, often marginalized socio-economic populations, are likely to be directly impacted as the policy aims at incorporating health assessments to better tailor federal legislation.
- It's important to include people who may not be immediately affected to reflect the policy's indirect impacts over time.
Simulated Interviews
Primary Care Doctor (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel optimistic that the policy will help address healthcare disparities.
- Including health assessments in legislative development would highlight overlooked aspects in healthcare for minority communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Software Developer (Brooklyn, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's a good use of resources, though I don't expect it to change my life immediately.
- Better-informed legislation could have more long-term benefits for everyone.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired School Teacher (Des Moines, IA)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope more informed legislation improves my access to healthcare.
- I'm worried it will be years before I feel the benefits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
University Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy helps students who struggle with health access.
- Understanding health impact could mean better policies in general.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Factory Worker (Detroit, MI)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's about time health gets prioritized in policy making.
- My only worry is if it focuses on people like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Small Business Owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If it makes policy clearer for business owners, that's a win.
- Health-informed policies can alleviate long-term employee wellness costs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Tech Entrepreneur (Seattle, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is potentially a great approach to recognizing the broader impacts of health policies.
- I might not see any direct impact immediately but long-term gains are possible.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Public Health Official (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's essential for addressing the ingrained inequities in health across different groups.
- This act should lead to more proactive healthcare policies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Healthcare Policy Analyst (Boston, MA)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see great potential in this policy in refining how legislation considers health impacts.
- We might see a gradual but noticeable positive shift in health-oriented policy efficacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retired Farmer (Rural, KY)
Age: 70 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm cautious but hopeful this will improve rural healthcare access.
- If legislators truly heed these assessments, maybe things will get better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 2: $3000000 (Low: $2500000, High: $3500000)
Year 3: $2000000 (Low: $1500000, High: $2500000)
Year 5: $2000000 (Low: $1500000, High: $2500000)
Year 10: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $1500000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The cost of implementing the study and associated administrative efforts.
- Long-term savings due to potentially better-informed health policy outcomes.
- Distributional benefits and targeted impacts on communities facing health disparities.
- Cross-agency collaboration might lead to multiple interpretations and challenges in harmonizing assessments.