Health care advocacy is the process of speaking out and taking action to ensure that everyone has access to quality, affordable health care. Health care advocates can be individuals, families, organizations, or communities. They can work to influence health care policy, improve the quality of care, and support patients and their families.

Health care advocacy can have a significant influence on health care. For example, health care advocates have been instrumental in passing laws that have expanded access to health insurance, protected patients’ rights, and increased funding for research into new treatments and cures. Health care advocates have also played a key role in raising awareness about important health issues and in holding health care providers and organizations accountable for their actions.

Here are some specific examples of the influence that health care advocacy has had:

• The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was passed into law in 2010 after years of advocacy from patients, families, and health care organizations. The Affordable Care Act has expanded health insurance coverage to millions of Americans and has made health insurance more affordable for many families.
• The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was created in 1997 to provide health insurance to children from low-income families. CHIP has been reauthorized several times over the years, thanks in large part to the advocacy of parents, caregivers, and health care organizations.
• The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for mental health and substance use disorders that is equivalent to the coverage they provide for physical health conditions. This law was passed after years of advocacy from patients, families, and mental health organizations.
• The Patient Safety Movement Foundation was founded in 2003 by a family who lost their son to a preventable medical error. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation has been instrumental in raising awareness about patient safety and in advocating for changes to the health care system to reduce medical errors.

These are just a few examples of the many ways that health care advocacy has made a difference in the lives of people and families. Health care advocates play a vital role in ensuring that everyone has access to quality, affordable health care.

How to get involved in health care advocacy

There are many ways to get involved in health care advocacy. Here are a few ideas:

• Contact your elected officials and let them know that you support health care policies that help people access quality, affordable care.
• Volunteer with a health care advocacy organization. There are many organizations that work on a variety of health issues, such as access to health insurance, patient safety, and quality of care.
• Share your personal story about how health care has impacted your life. This can be a powerful way to raise awareness about important health care issues and to inspire others to take action.
• Educate yourself and others about health care policy and the issues that are affecting access to care. The more you know, the more effective you can be as an advocate.

No matter how you choose to get involved, your advocacy can make a difference. Health care advocates are making a real difference in the lives of people and families every day.