Health Equity and MENA Community Inclusion Act of 2023

S 2899, the Health Equity and MENA Community Inclusion Act of 2023, amends the Public Health Service Act to include Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) individuals as a recognized racial and ethnic minority group for federal health programs. This change requires the Department of Health and Human Services to disaggregate health data for MENA populations - including subgroups like Lebanese, Egyptian, and Palestinian - rather than grouping them with non-Hispanic White individuals. The bill mandates a comprehensive federal study to analyze MENA-specific health outcomes, such as diabetes rates, mental health conditions, and access barriers, and to establish an online data portal for transparency. It directly affects MENA communities, who have historically been excluded from health equity programs due to data aggregation practices. The law aims to improve understanding of health disparities and enable targeted federal initiatives to address them.