Covid-19 and the Safety Net — Moving from Straining to Sustaining

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a crucible for the U.S. health care system, particularly for the safety-net hospitals, community health centers, and independent clinicians who provide a lifeline for underinsured and uninsured people. Despite facing immeasurable strain in the past year, the safety net has played an essential and often innovative role at the intersection of health care, public health, and emergency response. As we enter a new stage of pandemic response and recovery — in which we must address issues of racial health inequities, frontline health care infrastructure, and community preparedness — the country faces questions about what constitutes adequate support for the safety net, both immediately and over the longer term.