[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HEALTHCARE EQUALITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 2005

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss a critically 
important bill that is being introduced today: the Healthcare Equality 
and Accountability Act of 2005. Before I go into detail, I must 
profusely thank three people who were incredibly instrumental in 
helping us get this bill developed and introduced: Sharon Coleman of 
the Congressional Research Service, and Peter Goodloe and Warren Burke, 
of the House Legislative Counsel. Ms. Coleman, Mr. Goodloe and Mr. 
Burke, on behalf of the TriCaucus, I thank and applaud you for your 
efforts.
  Over the last two decades, hundreds of studies--most which have been 
conducted by credible sources, like the Institutes of Medicine, 
academic institutions, including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Morehouse 
College and University of California, in addition to non-partisan 
foundations and think tanks--have confirmed that racial and ethnic 
health disparities are a challenge to health care in this country. Here 
in America, the color of your skin, your ethnic background, and your 
geography can not only influence your health care access and quality; 
they can determine them.
  We have all heard the numbers and statistics. We see grave racial and 
ethnic differences in health status and outcomes that are unacceptable 
in a country as wealthy as this one. For example:
  African American and American Indian/Alaska Native infant mortality 
rates are more than two times higher than that for whites.
  African American women are nearly four times more likely than white 
women to die during childbirth or from pregnancy complications.
  The death rate from asthma is more than three times higher among 
African Americans than among whites.
  The diabetes death rates among African Americans and Hispanics are 
about 2 times higher than that among whites.
  The AIDS case rate among African Americans is more than ten times 
higher than that among whites. The AIDS case rate for Hispanics is more 
than four times higher than that among whites.
  Until the conditions that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic 
minorities are addressed and an emphasis is put on prevention, as well 
as treatment and care, then racial and ethnic disparities in health 
will continue to plague minority Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, far too many people assume that racial and ethnic 
minorities have poorer health status and die prematurely because of bad 
health decisions. And, making healthy decisions is one part of the 
equation. However, it is difficult to make healthy decisions and to 
preserve good health when you are uninsured. And, uninsurance 
disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities.
  In fact, racial and ethnic minorities comprise about one third of the 
total U.S. population, yet are represented in more than half of this 
country's uninsured population. Uninsurance, Mr. Speaker, is a major 
factor that exacerbates racial and ethnic health disparities, and 
reducing the numbers of the uninsured must be an integral part of any 
strategy to reduce--and ultimately eliminate racial and ethnic health 
disparities.
  And then, Mr. Speaker, there is something else that happens too often 
when racial and ethnic minorities go to the doctor. Even when they have 
an insurance card from the best companies, the quality of their health 
care is less than that of whites and often does not meet medical 
standards. These disparities, Mr. Chairman, are the most egregious and 
disturbing because they serve as a reminder that more than four decades 
after the Civil Rights Movement, racial and ethnic minorities still are 
not treated equally and fairly.
  When I first heard about these types of disparities, I was shocked. 
As a physician who practiced for more than two decades, I cannot fathom 
discriminating against a patient because of their skin color, their 
ethnic background or sexual orientation. But, the studies documenting 
these disparities are extensive and robust, and have found that:
  Despite having heart disease and stroke rates that are 
disproportionately higher than whites, African American women with 
health insurance are 40% less likely than whites with health insurance 
to be recommended for cardiac catheterization.
  African-American diabetics are more nearly 3.5 times more likely than 
white diabetics to have a lower limb amputation procedure performed.
  African Americans are 3 times more likely than whites to be 
hospitalized for asthma and about 2\1/2\ times more likely to visit an 
emergency room with an asthma attack. This is significant because 
hospitalization for asthma is an avoidable admission if the condition 
is adequately managed.
  Mr. Speaker, last Congress, my colleagues and I in the TriCaucus 
introduced a bill that would reduce racial and ethnic disparities in 
health and in health care. This Congress, we decided to re-introduce 
that bill in a concerted effort to continue our commitment and work to 
ensure that racial and ethnic health disparities are eliminated from 
our health care system.
  This bill, entitled the Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act of 
2005, proposes solutions to the factors that exacerbate racial and 
ethnic health disparities by working to accomplish the following:
  Remove barriers to health care access by expanding existing forms of 
health insurance coverage.
  Improve cultural and linguistic competence in health care by removing 
language and cultural barriers to quality health care.
  Improve the diversity of the health care workforce to reflect, 
understand and respect the backgrounds, experiences and perspectives of 
the people it serves.
  Support and expand programs to reduce health disparities in diseases 
and conditions, especially diabetes, obesity, heart disease, asthma and 
HIV/AIDS.
  Improve racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and language data collection to 
adequately identify, measure and find reasonable and innovative 
solutions for health disparities.
  Ensure accountability of the Bush administration to ensure adequate 
funding of the Office of Minority Health, and the National Center for 
Minority Health and Health Disparities and the important work that they 
do.
  Bolster the capacity of institutions that provide care in minority 
communities.
  Mr. Speaker, these health disparities are not just minority issues. 
Because these health disparities often result in death, they are moral 
issues. Because these health disparities leave minorities with greater 
disease and disability burden, they are civil rights issues. Because 
these disparities burden the health care system, they are economic 
issues. And, because these disparities jeopardize the health and well 
being of the people in this country, they are an American issue.
  I therefore urge my colleagues--on both sides of the fence--to 
support the Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act of 2005.

                          ____________________