The Role of Healthcare Financing and Delivery Systems to Promote Health for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face significant health disparities due to structural inequities, healthcare access challenges, and fragmented financing and delivery systems. This article presents key recommendations for improving healthcare financing and delivery systems developed at the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) National Goals for Health Equity for People with IDD meeting in June 2024. Strategic priorities included enhancing data collection and integration, developing standardized quality metrics tailored to people with IDD, and reforming healthcare financing to ensure equitable access to specialized care. The group also recommended increased development, regular evaluation of innovative healthcare financing and delivery models, and further research and advancement of health and wellness technologies specifically targeted to people with IDD. Finally, person centered approaches, informed by people with IDD and their families, were identified as critical to ensuring meaningful and effective reforms. Although challenges remain, this article emphasizes the urgent need for systemic changes to promote health equity and improve healthcare for people with IDD.