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Pennsylvania State Senate
10/10/2024 05:36 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?SPick=20230&chamber=S&cosponId=40745
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: May 10, 2023 12:43 PM
From: Senator Art Haywood
To: All Senate members
Subject: Codifying the Office of Health Equity
 
In the near future, I plan to reintroduce legislation to codify the existing Office of Health Equity in Pennsylvania. Last session, this legislation was introduced as SB 1267.
 
Every day, we hear from constituents struggling in conditions that are harmful to their health and well-being, many of which could be prevented through simple fixes. Statistics show patterns of health disparities in Pennsylvania and point to issues that must be resolved:
  • Access to health care and telehealth
  • Affordability of health care
  • Health care professionals that represent patients
  • Maternal mortality   
Health equity is defined as every person having an opportunity to live a healthy life, regardless of race, color, religion, ability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. To understand how we measure with health equity, we need health and environmental data to determine the conditions negatively impacting the health and well-being of groups and regions across the Commonwealth.
 
The Office of Health Equity identifies disparities or avoidable differences among socioeconomic and demographic groups or geographical areas in health status and health outcomes such as disease, disability or mortality. Created in 2007 by executive order, the Office of Health Equity has been maintained by both Republican and Democratic administrations and continues to operate as an integral part of the Department of Health today. Through data analysis, collaboration, and advocacy, the Office examines the health of the Commonwealth and provides practical guidance for policymakers to address common and preventable gaps and achieve optimal health outcomes in all Pennsylvania communities.
 
Codifying the Office of Health Equity in statute will preserve and amplify the Office’s critical role in understanding the health and wellness of Pennsylvania communities and developing policies to improve access to services. This legislation would also allow the Department of Health to streamline funding for stable operations, allowing the Office of Health Equity to continue advising the Department on measures to prevent Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable from needlessly falling through the cracks of the healthcare system.
 
All Pennsylvanians deserve the ability to live healthy lives, and codification of the Office of Health Equity will strengthen the Commonwealth’s ability to help them do so. Please join me in sponsoring this resolution.



Introduced as SB731


Memo Updated: May 10, 2023 12:44 PM