What Is the Role of Government in Ensuring Equitable Access to Healthcare?
The COVID-19 pandemic created a global medical crisis and laid bare longstanding concerns about medical equity in America. The medical bias from the past has informed health disparities of today. In the face of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and other health disparities, we must consider what to do next to ensure equitable health outcomes. Should a universal healthcare system be considered? Should certain groups be prioritized for certain medicines? Should communities who have faced unfair treatment receive compensation for past wrongs? These questions require an understanding of the dynamic relationship between healthcare and the government within America.
This inquiry provides high school students with a range of historical and contemporary sources to consider these issues. These activities culminate in a challenge for students to take action and figure out the best solution concerning health disparities for their state, local or national community.
Helpful Hints
- Historical Empathy
- When reading and discussing issues, encourage students to try taking the perspective of people from that time period when discussing point of view.
- Discussion Questions
- The discussion questions are the key element of the lessons. It is imperative that students discuss questions amongst themselves with the teacher acting as the facilitator. Please refer to guidelines on transactive discussion tips and techniques.
- Writing prompts
- Writing prompts are also key in reinforcing the new information and the discussion that has taken place. The prompts allow students to integrate the perspectives they have heard into a cohesive argument.
- Make sure students complete writing prompts even if it means assigning the prompt as homework.