GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
S	1
SENATE BILL 391

 
 
Short Title:	Eliminate Disparities in Health Care.	()	
Sponsors:	Senators Forrester, Lucas; and Carpenter.	
Referred to:	Children & Human Resources.	
March 12, 2001

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct the department of health and human services to make recommendations on ways to eliminate disparities in health care.

Whereas, although indicators have shown that our nation's health has greatly improved, this good news does not apply to all Americans; and
Whereas, elderly women constitute most of the new cases and deaths from breast cancer, elderly minority women bear the largest brunt of the disease; and
Whereas, elderly African‑American women are less likely to have had a mammogram than their white peers, despite Medicaid reimbursement for the service; and 
Whereas, Hispanic women are also less likely to be screened for breast cancer than white women; and
Whereas, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for African‑Americans in the United States and in spite of their mortality and morbidity for cardiovascular disease, African‑Americans and Hispanics are less likely to undergo treatment for their conditions; and
Whereas, diabetes kills African‑Americans at more than three times the rate for whites. It kills American Indians/Alaskan natives at more than twice the rate and Hispanics at more than one and one‑half times the rate for whites; and
Whereas, in 1996, influenza and pneumonia were the fifth leading causes of death among persons 65 years of age and older. Among the Medicare population, non‑Hispanic whites were more likely to report receipt of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines than Hispanics and non‑Hispanic African-Americans; and
Whereas, the low‑income population with dual Medicare and Medicaid coverage is particularly vulnerable to greater health disparities in contrast to other Medicare beneficiaries; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Department of Health and Human Services shall study disparities among ethnic and racial minorities in the health care system and shall make recommendations on ways to eliminate disparities in and barriers to health care for ethnic and racial minorities.  The Department shall make its report to the 2001 General Assembly, 2002 Regular Session, upon its convening.  The Department shall provide a copy of the report to the cochairs of the Health Care Oversight Committee.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.