TL/DR –
The HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) has published two case studies demonstrating how nonprofit safety net healthcare providers Boston Medical Center and OhioHealth are using the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to reduce carbon emissions. Boston Medical Center has implemented a pilot program offering solar energy credits to patients, and OhioHealth is using IRA tax incentives to provide free electric vehicle charging in a rural area. These case studies are part of OCCHE’s program to connect healthcare providers with IRA funding for energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmental justice projects.
HHS Office Highlights Health Care Providers Using IRA for Decarbonization
The HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) published two case studies showcasing how non-profit safety net health care providers Boston Medical Center and OhioHealth use the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for carbon emission reduction. This offers a practical guide to others on how IRA can help reduce climate-related health impacts and promote health equity.
The studies detail Boston Medical Center’s solar energy credits program and OhioHealth’s utilization of IRA tax incentives to fund electric vehicle charging stations offering free charging to rural residents.
These studies are part of OCCHE’s Catalytic Program on Utilizing the IRA, an initiative to link health care providers with IRA funds available for sustainability and environmental justice. This enables providers to stay operational during emergencies and lower pollution levels.
Through Boston Medical Center’s Clean Power Prescription and OhioHealth’s charging station infrastructure, the studies show how providers could plan an IRA-funded project to support their community. Both providers share lessons from their experiences and advice on proposing similar projects.
OCCHE’s Catalytic Program also features free-to-access webinars and a Quickfinder tool summarizing key IRA programs and policies.
ADM Rachel L. Levine, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health, lauded the efforts of Boston Medical Center and OhioHealth stating, “The IRA offers unprecedented opportunities for health care providers to reduce their climate impact and protect public health.” She emphasized the importance of OCCHE’s work in educating health care providers to meet overall climate goals.
John M. Balbus, MD, MPH, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate Change and Health Equity, noted that the health sector, contributing around 8.5 percent of US carbon emissions, needs to minimize its own impacts. “The Catalytic Program is crucial to promoting health equity and a green energy economy,” he added.
Boston Medical Center and OhioHealth also presented their plans to use the IRA as part of the Catalytic Program’s webinar series. OCCHE plans to release more case studies this year.
—
Read More US Economic News