Now That Tax Day Has Passed, Let’s Plan How to Best Use Public Dollars to Invest in Health

We’ve passed the annual tax-filing deadline, and households across the country have gathered financial papers documenting tax payments — with the ostensible goal of paying our share so the government can provide for the public good. But as the pandemic continues into its third year, it’s reasonable to wonder how those tax dollars are being used to build healthier, more equitable communities — and how we are to know if those programs are working.

The implications of poverty for health have been underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic. Wealth can be used to protect health, and poor health and past health expenses can also undermine earning ability.