GAO report on structural and systemic factors that perpetuate cardiovascular disparities

(a) In general Not later than September 30, 2027, the Comptroller General of the United States shall prepare and submit a report to Congress that contains the results of an investigation of— (1) the structural and systemic factors that perpetuate disparities in access to screenings, care, and treatment of cardiovascular disease; and (2) how care navigation, including community-based health workers, can improve cardiovascular disease management and improve health outcomes. (b) Contents The report shall— (1) identify the challenges and barriers facing health care providers and patients, which contribute to postponed, delayed, or suboptimal treatments for cardiovascular disease; (2) examine efforts by Federal agencies and Federal programs to improve screening and management of patients with cardiovascular disease; (3) identify and examine existing quality measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services related to cholesterol management and whether these measures encourage providers and health systems to— (A) perform appropriate and timely low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) testing on patients at risk of a cardiovascular event; and (B) better manage patients’ elevated LDL-C levels in concordance with clinical guidelines prescribing directives to ensure patients are progressing towards guideline-recommended LDL-C levels; (4) identify actions the Federal Government could take to promote collaboration with community-based organizations to ensure improvement in clinical outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease, including by building on recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control to include community health workers to improve health care delivery for underserved and high-risk communities; and (5) assess whether racial and ethnic minority groups, as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300g–6(g)), have higher prior authorization rejection rates of prescription drugs to treat or prevent cardiovascular disease by health insurance providers and, if so, identify the resulting impacts on cardiovascular disease medication adherence, morbidity, and mortality, as well as resulting postponed, delayed, or suboptimal treatment prescribing for cardiovascular disease among racial and ethnic minorities.