A Virginian-Pilot column outlines five concrete suggestions to make healthcare more accessible. Here's what DC residents need to know.
In brief
A column published by The Virginian-Pilot makes the case that healthcare access — long one of America's most persistent policy failures — can be improved through five concrete suggestions. The piece arrives as federal and state lawmakers continue to debate coverage gaps, provider shortages, and affordability across the country.
Key Takeaways
The Virginian-Pilot column outlines five suggestions aimed at improving healthcare accessibility.
Healthcare access remains a critical issue for residents across the DC metro region, including Northern Virginia communities served by the Pilot's readership.
The column's framing is solutions-oriented, focusing on actionable change rather than diagnosis of existing problems.
Why Healthcare Access Is a DC-Region Issue, Not Just a National One
Washington, DC sits at the center of the national healthcare policy debate — home to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and dozens of advocacy organizations fighting over the future of American medicine. Yet access barriers persist even in the shadow of the Capitol. Residents in Wards 7 and 8 east of the Anacostia River have documented gaps in primary care availability. Northern Virginia communities — the Virginian-Pilot's core readership — face their own provider shortages and affordability pressures.
The Virginian-Pilot column does not name every suggestion within the excerpt available, but its framing — five discrete, actionable ideas — reflects a growing consensus among health policy advocates that reform does not require sweeping legislation. Incremental, targeted interventions at the community and provider level can move the needle on access.
What Health Policy Experts Say About Access Gaps
Nationally, access to healthcare is shaped by a web of factors: insurance coverage, geographic proximity to providers, transportation, language barriers, and cost-sharing requirements. According to KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), millions of Americans remain uninsured or underinsured, limiting when and whether they seek care. Community health centers, telehealth expansion, and Medicaid policy all play roles in whether patients can actually walk through a clinic door.
For the DC region specifically, the Urban Institute — headquartered on Massachusetts Avenue NW — has tracked persistent disparities in healthcare access tied to income, race, and neighborhood. Those findings underscore why a column advocating for structural improvements resonates locally, not just in Virginia Beach or Norfolk.
Healthcare access is never purely a clinical question inside the Beltway — it is a political one. Every suggestion in a column like this lands on the desks of congressional staffers, HHS career officials, and think-tank analysts who shape federal policy. Capitol Hill is currently home to ongoing debates over Medicaid funding, the future of the Affordable Care Act, and rural health investments. A solutions-oriented piece from a regional outlet like the Virginian-Pilot adds to the chorus of voices pushing Congress and the executive branch toward tangible reform rather than ideological posturing.
For DC residents, the stakes are immediate. Federally Qualified Health Centers operate across all eight wards, and organizations like Unity Health Care serve patients regardless of ability to pay. Improvements in accessibility policy — whether driven by federal mandate or local innovation — directly affect how these institutions operate and whom they can serve. Follow WDCM's ongoing coverage on our DC Politics Guide for the latest on healthcare legislation moving through Congress.
The Bottom Line
The Virginian-Pilot column offers a timely, solutions-focused contribution to a debate that never leaves Washington's agenda. Without the full text of all five suggestions, the specifics remain with the original publication — but the premise is sound and the urgency is real. Healthcare access is fixable. The question, as always in this city, is whether the political will exists to act.
For more on health and wellness trends shaping the DC metro area, explore WDCM's coverage under Politics and DC Power Players.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Virginian-Pilot column say about healthcare access?
The column proposes five suggestions for making healthcare more accessible. The Virginian-Pilot published the piece as a solutions-oriented look at persistent barriers facing American patients. The full text of each suggestion is available at the original publication.
Why does healthcare access matter specifically in Washington, DC?
DC is both a policymaking hub and a city with documented healthcare disparities, particularly in neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River. Federal agencies, think tanks, and advocacy groups based in DC directly shape national healthcare policy, making local access gaps a political as well as a public health issue.
Who does healthcare inaccessibility affect most in the DC region?
Low-income residents, uninsured individuals, and communities in Wards 7 and 8 in DC, as well as underserved communities in Northern Virginia, face the steepest access barriers — including provider shortages and cost obstacles.
Where can I read the full Virginian-Pilot column on healthcare access?
The full column is available at The Virginian-Pilot's website, pilotonline.com. WDCM's coverage summarizes the piece's premise and regional relevance based on the published headline and framing.
What federal agencies oversee healthcare access policy in the US?
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are the primary federal bodies governing healthcare access, coverage, and funding — both headquartered in the Washington, DC metro area.
Reporting drawn from: The Virginian-Pilot. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
