Skip to main content

Our COVID-19 Pandemic Response

USofCare’s mission to ensure that every person has access to quality affordable health care has never been more important than in the current pandemic.

The pandemic has shined a light on the longstanding inequities and flaws in our health care system that we must address to build a better health care system of the future.

Nurse

Why the COVID-19 Pandemic is a Priority

The pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge to our health care system and policymakers. This unprecedented moment provides leaders with the unique opportunity to ensure our health care system is responsive to the pandemic and addresses inequities while being accessible and affordable, now and into the future.

People everywhere are concerned about protecting and providing for themselves and their loved ones. Centering the conversation around shared and diverse needs will open new avenues for more people to be part of the conversation and the solutions. Across our listening work and public opinion surveys in May and November 2020, our research reveals that throughout the pandemic people across demographics share the desire for:

  • A reliable health care system that is fully resourced to support essential workers and available to me when I need it, now and after the pandemic.
  • A health care system that cares for everyone, including people who are and those who were already struggling before the pandemic hit.
  • Accurate information and clear recommendations on the virus and how to stay safe and healthy.
  • The ability to provide for ourselves and our loved ones, especially as people are worried about the financial impact of the pandemic.

Our Approach

Since the pandemic began, our objective is to provide the best intelligence on what the public needs and the policies that will help keep people cared for, safe, and informed. When the pandemic hit, we pivoted to immediate response, connecting policymakers with resources, and leveraging our expertise, capacity, network, and resources to support effective responses to the pandemic. As the nation moves through the phases of the pandemic response, we continue to play a key role in advocating for solutions to meet people’s needs.

As we look past this immediate worldwide emergency, we know it isn’t enough to simply “get through the crisis” and go back to the health care system we have. Our health care system must emerge stronger, better serving ourselves and our loved ones. We are laser focused on how we can take the lessons from the pandemic to inform future innovative solutions.

Our current initiatives include:

  • Building confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines
  • Successfully advocating for the federal funding of contact tracing and safe isolation
  • Supporting state and federal policymakers with resources and recommendations
  • Understanding people’s evolving needs to drive policy change
  • Lifting up best practices from the private and public sector to ensure people’s safety
  • Partnering with COVIDExitStrategy.org to bring reliable information to the public on the virus spread

Explore Our Other Priorities

We prioritize improvements informed by our desired outcomes that will build the health care system people want.

Stay up to date!

Sign up to receive the latest news, resources and updates on building a better health care system.