CMS announced the publication of the 2024 National Impact Assessment of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Measures Report. CMS assesses the quality and efficiency impact of the use of quality measures in CMS programs every 3 years.

The Impact Assessment measured disparities among different races and shared its discoveries. Some of the key findings related to AI/AN data included:

“It’s sad to say, but there is a significant [number] of Alaska Natives in these bigger centers that
are homeless, and they can’t get their medication because they don’t have a permanent address.
Their medication may go to a shelter that they were at 30 days ago.”
–American Indian/Alaska Native | low-income, rural community.
Members of communities that have experienced institutional bias and individual prejudice
in the health care system mistrust providers and are reluctant to seek care.

“When our people are disrespected, they don’t want to go back to the health care system. I have
elders who still won’t take shots because they had a bad experience. … They won’t even get
surgery because they were disrespected at some time in their life.”
–American Indian/Alaska Native | low-income community