Before COVID, the health inequities that women endured were already untenable, particularly for women of color. American women had the highest rates of maternal mortality, chronic disease burden and emotional distress of any developed country. We also had the lowest rate of having a regular doctor or place of care, more than one-third of us skipped care because of costs and nearly half of us reported medical bill problems. The burden of the past two years has triggered an out-of-control downward spiral impacting our physical health, mental well-being and financial security. COVID turned a dire situation into a national health crisis.

Yet, as we begin to imagine a post-COVID world, we are loudly decrying the long-term effects of inflation and the supply chain breakdown with very little, if any, audible dialogue or action on the rapidly declining health of millions of American women. The current legal and regulatory barriers are real and must be tackled. We need laws that support women and don’t create obstacles that make us sicker. We need our leaders to pass legislation that directly improves education, access to care, clinical outcomes and reimbursement for innovation in women’s health. And we need it now.