[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 144 (Thursday, October 6, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 6, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        AGAINST REDLINING IN THE CHICAGO-AREA HEALTH CARE MARKET

                                 ______


                          HON. CARDISS COLLINS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 6, 1994

  Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, in February of this year, the 
Commerce, Consumer Protection and Competitiveness Subcommittee, which I 
chair, held a hearing in Chicago on the development of provider 
networks and health plans in the greater Chicago area. A focal point of 
the hearing was the need for these organizations to serve a broad 
cross-section of the population, without discriminating against people 
of particular neighborhoods, income-levels, or ethnic and cultural 
backgrounds.
  Testimony was received from, among others, Dr. Bruce Spivey, 
president of the Northwestern Healthcare Network, who established that 
his network's facilities are overwhelmingly located in the affluent, 
predominately white north and northwest sides of town. Concerns were 
stressed to Dr. Spivey about the current absence--and possible 
avoidance--of relationships with major facilities on the heavily 
African-American and low-income west and south sides of Chicago. In 
response, he stated, ``Clearly we started out with the institutions 
that have historically worked together and now we begin to go into 
areas, not north, as I mentioned earlier, but west and south.''
  A few months ago, the network announced that it is expanding by 
adding Swedish Covenant Hospital, located on the north side between two 
of the network's principal facilities. Once again, Northwestern is 
contracting for a patient base which is predominantly white and 
affluent, in direct contravention to the intentions expressed by Dr. 
Spivey.
  My concern about the possibility of redlining and other forms of 
discrimination which give rise to the February hearing have been 
intensified. Following testimony about the network's strong efforts to 
provide service to the underserved west and south sides of Chicago, it 
is troubling when the network's subsequent actions culminate in a 
further expansion of care for the north and northwest sides.
  Since the network's intentions were clearly stated, it is not 
unreasonable to expect results. I hope that the Northwestern Healthcare 
Network's commitment to a dramatic increase in service to the west and 
south sides of Chicago remains steadfast. I trust that future 
expansions will be in these sectors of the metropolitan area. I look 
forward to significant, prompt results in this area.
  Rampant discrimination and redlining in our health care system are 
too insidious to even contemplate. It is not enough to be on the 
lookout for their occurrences. We must take affirmative steps to ensure 
against such a virus ever developing. Such practices absolutely must 
not be tolerated from provider networks and health plans that are 
already benefiting greatly by consolidation of the health care market. 
The potential for such practices, in Chicago or any other community in 
the United States argues very strongly for fierce government regulation 
of network activities and severe penalties for inappropriate actions.

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