PRINTER'S NO. 3432
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
490
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY HOWARD, DALEY, CONKLIN, PROBST, FREEMAN, HILL-
EVANS, VENKAT, McNEILL, MAYES, KHAN, GIRAL, HADDOCK, KINSEY,
SCHLOSSBERG, SANCHEZ, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, OTTEN, GALLAGHER,
ROZZI, SHUSTERMAN, D. WILLIAMS, CURRY AND O'MARA,
JUNE 27, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JUNE 27, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of August 2024 as "Endometriosis Awareness
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Endometriosis is thought to afflict 10% of the
female population, indicating hundreds of millions of sufferers
globally; and
WHEREAS, Endometriosis is thought to be the cause of 85% of
cases of pelvic pain, as well as a host of other symptoms among
women; and
WHEREAS, These symptoms can easily cause long-term disability
and prevent sufferers from leading the lives that they wish for
themselves; and
WHEREAS, Endometriosis is a leading cause of infertility; and
WHEREAS, Despite its extreme commonality, endometriosis is
comparatively unknown by the general populace and even medical
personnel; and
WHEREAS, This lack of awareness has enabled an extreme and
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unacceptable 10 years as the average wait time for diagnosis in
American women; and
WHEREAS, This disabling, common and distressing condition has
been significantly under-researched and underfunded; and
WHEREAS, The lack of research and funding creates a dearth of
effective treatment options to patients in need of care; and
WHEREAS, Awareness of endometriosis must be heightened to
encourage research, inform clinicians of best practices in
detection and treatment and generally alter this present status
quo; and
WHEREAS, Evidence suggests that the current best treatment
for severe endometriosis, excision surgery, is unfairly
reimbursed under the same medical billing code as the still
under-reimbursed, but less labor-intensive, fulguration surgery;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania designate the month of August 2024
as "Endometriosis Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acknowledge the need to educate the
public and medical professionals about this condition and the
symptoms that warrant it being considered as a possible
diagnosis; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to request funding for the detection and treatment of
endometriosis through the Congressionally Directed Medical
Research Programs and any other avenues for designated medical
research funding that Congress finds prudent; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to continue funding the research each year; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to order a review of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding
System codes to ensure that all endometriosis-related surgical
treatments are being reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid
sufficiently; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to create an annual "National Endometriosis Awareness
Month" and to request that Federal agencies make efforts to
inform the national public and medical practitioners; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the President of the United States, the presiding officers of
each house of Congress, each member of Congress from
Pennsylvania and the President of the American Medical
Association.
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