S. 1576 would amend the Public Health Service Act to improve the health and health care of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Detailed Summary
Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity Elimination Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) develop an Internet Clearinghouse within the Office of Minority Health; (2) provide for programs of excellence in health professions education for underrepresented minorities; and (3) support demonstration projects designed to improve the health and health care of racial and ethnic minority groups through improved access to health care, patient navigators, primary prevention activities, health promotion and disease prevention activities, and health literacy education and services.
Provides for grants to: (1) promote positive health behaviors; (2) implement culturally and linguistically appropriate, evidence-based, and community-driven sustainable strategies to eliminate racial and ethnic health and health care disparities; (3) implement systems of primary care practices to eliminate disparities in the delivery of health care and improve the health care provided to all patients; and (4) address long-standing unmet health needs in the Mississippi Delta.
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.
Provides for research to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Requires the Secretary to ensure the collection of data from federally conducted or supported health programs by race, ethnicity, geographic location, socioeconomic position, primary language, and, when practicable, health literacy.
Sets forth duties for the Office of Minority Health. Requires the Secretary to establish the Advisory Committee on Minority Health.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 6/7/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Conrado Barzaga
November 20, 2008, 6:38pm (report abuse)I think it is a good idea to support demonstration projects to improve health outcomes in disadvantaged communities. Ethnic minorities are dispersed throughout the nation and their health outcomes are a translation of an ill-conceived health system not only in the Mississippi delta, but in other communities, both rural and urban. Targeting investments to a particular geographic region sounds discriminatory.