Senate+Bill+1576

= = = = = = = = = = = = =media type="file" key="S_1576.mp3"= = = =Bill S. 1576: Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity Elimination Act (P. 7)=

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On June 7, 2007, **Senator Edward Kennedy (Democrat-MA)** introduced S. 1576, the Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity Elimination Act, to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve the health and healthcare of racial and ethnic minority groups.





Summary of Bill:

 * Supports underrepresented minorities.
 * Provides research to improve health of racial and ethnic minority groups
 *  Promotes positive health behaviors
 *  Support demonstration projects designed to improve health and healthcare of racial and ethnic minority groups through prevention activities like health promotion, disease prevention and literacy education.
 * Requires the Secretary to establish the Health Action Zone Initiative demonstration program to support comprehensive state, tribal, or local initiatives to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority groups.
 * Implement system s of primary care practices to eliminate disparities in the delivery of health care and improve the health care provided to all patients

History of Bill:
Still in the Senate. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Much like, almost identical to the bill H.R. 3333.

People Affected by Bill and Importance:

 * It’s important because Americans no matter what minority they should be able to get equal quality health care.
 * Most likely affects doctors, some communities, and the ethnic minority groups (African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans)




 * Economically disadvantaged groups face limited access to preventive healthcare, medical services, and resources that promote health.
 * Government programs to increase access to health care developed mostly in 20th century.
 * Health care advocacy took on a new urgency as health care inequities grew and access shank.
 * Federal group Task Force on Minority Health showed a huge gap in health service between colored people and white people.
 * Health Reform: African Americans are hugely under insured or uninsured leading to a strong pressure on emergency care and a strong devotion of taking care of their health only when sick which is often too late.
 * Facts show that African Americans are dying at a much greater rate than white’s especially from preventable causes like AIDS and homicides.
 * More than 55% of doctors agree that “minority patients generally receive lower quality care than white patients”.
 * Health care disparities must be placed in a broader context of socioeconomic disparities, racism, culture, empowerment, and family life.



Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. “Eliminating Health Care Disparities.” AHRQ Summit—Improving Health Care Quality for All Americans. AHRQ. 2 Dec. 2008 .

Davis, Willie. The African American Contribution to Health Reform. 1 Dec. 2008 .

Institute for Ethics. “Quality Health Care for Minorites.” AMA: Helping Doctors Help Patients. 2007. Commission to End Health care Disparities. 2 Dec. 2008 .

Mink, Gwendolyn, and Alice O’Connor. Poverty in the United States. Santa Barbara: ABC Clio, n.d.

“S. 1576.” __THOMAS (Library of Congress)__. Library of Congress. 30 Nov. 2008 .