In my search for information about what the upcoming administration might mean for vulnerable populations, I’ve been avoiding national TV news outlets and turned instead to the internet. With a Republican-controlled Congress, many programs—including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other protective organizations—could face threats of defunding or even elimination due to inaction from a non-functioning Congress.

In an opinion piece titled “Election Implications for Telehealth, Health Equity, AI, and Life Sciences,” Sarah Starling Crossan of the Holland & Knight Healthcare Blog discusses the contrasting health policies of the Biden and Trump administrations. She notes that the Biden Administration prioritized health equity, AI standards and oversight, accessibility of Medicare and Medicaid, and drug pricing, supported by executive orders and regulations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Conversely, the incoming Trump Administration is expected to use its authority to reverse many of these Biden-era initiatives. Crossan highlights that CMS has faced scrutiny from both political parties in recent years: Republicans have pointed out inefficiencies and the lack of significant savings, while Democrats have raised concerns about systemic barriers to care and the evaluation of certain programs from the CMS Innovation Center as potential drivers of consolidation.

I am deeply concerned that the rights and protections developed over generations could be erased in an instant under the guise of fiscal responsibility, all while tax breaks continue to benefit the super-rich. Some may argue that these programs have not achieved health equity, despite the significant resources invested in them. However, my generation reflects on the successful elimination of diseases like smallpox and polio, the dismantling of whites only signs, improvements in medication safety, advancements in educational opportunities, and the rise of economic parity in many communities. These are just a few of the benefits that these protections have provided.

By defining health equity, we take a step toward achieving it. This journey may be briefly set back and cause excruciating pain for some populations. However, once we address these challenges, we can resume our efforts and keep progressing until we achieve health equity for everyone.