[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 197 (Monday, December 19, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S7312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENT ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. PADILLA:
  S. 5293. A bill to provide for the designation of areas as Health 
Enterprise Zones to reduce health disparities and improve health 
outcomes in such areas, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Finance.
  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Health Enterprise 
Zones Act of 2022.
  The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the severity of inequities 
in the U.S. healthcare system. Latinos and African Americans 
experienced the highest death and infection rates during the pandemic.
  But inequitable access to quality, affordable healthcare is not 
unique to the past 18 months. Centuries of structural and systemic 
racism continue to result in poorer health outcomes in communities of 
color. Historically, these communities are underserved by health 
professionals, which both causes and further exacerbates health 
disparities.
  That is why I am proud to introduce The Health Enterprise Zones Act 
of 2022, which uses a market-based approach to incentivize increased 
health provider participation in structurally disadvantaged areas.
  This bill would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to 
designate health enterprise zones based on measurable and documented 
health disparities in areas with poor health outcomes.
  These zones would be eligible Federal grants for projects to reduce 
health disparities and provide healthcare providers employee tax 
credits, a 10 percent Medicare reimbursement bonus, and student loan 
repayment.
  I want to thank Representative Anthony Brown for introducing the 
House companion, and I look forward to working on this bill into the 
next Congress. I hope our colleagues will join us in taking this key 
step to achieving health equity.

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