Access to broadband impacts and affects all aspects of our lives–from the education we receive, to the neighborhoods we live in, to the social and community contexts in which we thrive, and the quality of health care we receive. Each aspect of our life is influenced by access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet. As a result, digital access is increasingly being recognized as a “super” social determinant of health (SDOH), one that impacts and influences all other social determinants of health.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 has allocated substantial funding to build digital infrastructure and capacity to bridge the digital divide in both rural and urban areas nationwide. One critical funding source is the Digital Equity Act, which includes $2.75 billion for states to plan and implement their digital equity initiatives. The recent approval of all 50 states’ digital equity plans by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) paves the way for states to leverage opportunities that integrate health and social care into their digital equity planning and programming. These opportunities can help states unlock the full potential of digital inclusion policies and align health and social care more effectively.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities and widened the broadband health gap for many vulnerable populations. The goal of this project is to identify policy pathways at both the state and federal level to expand broadband access and help our communities leverage these opportunities to improve access to health care.
Sara Raza
CHLPI Clinical Fellow
Our Approach
CHLPI’s Broadband Access and Digital Equity in Health Care project focuses on advocating for policy reforms that improve digital access and inclusion to address health-related social needs and advance health outcomes for underserved communities. We work with clients and partners in the broadband and health care space to provide legal and policy technical assistance to help bridge the digital divide between reliable and affordable high-speed internet and the health care system.
For more information contact Sara Raza: sraza@law.harvard.edu