The State of Black Health: A Congressional Black Caucus Assessment During National Minority Health Month

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I thank my colleagues, Congressman Donald Payne and Congresswoman Robin Kelly, for leading this evening's critical discussion on ``The State of Black Health: A Congressional Black Caucus Assessment During National Minority Health Month.''

Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that we are here today because, certainly, we have had many firsthand experiences to know the disparities that exist across all Americans but, more specifically, across African American communities.

To you, Mr. Payne, thank you for having the foresight to come tonight; and to you, Congresswoman Kelly, thank you for taking a leadership position in helping us share with the Nation the value and the importance of protecting all lives but giving information to the Nation about the state of black health.

It is imperative that we continue to address health disparities that affect racial minorities and work together on the efforts to advance health equity.

Since July 1971, the Congressional Black Caucus has sponsored national conferences and held brain trusts on black health. It is so timely that we have this discussion as we observe National Minority Health Month.

Tonight is a call to action, a charge for all of us to unite towards a common goal of improving the health of our communities. Everyone in America should be able to live a healthy life, regardless of the color of their skin.

Mr. Speaker, the good news is the overall health of an American has improved over the past few decades. This is, in part, due to the increased focus on preventive medicine and dynamic new advances in medical technology.

However, not all Americans have benefited equally from healthcare improvements. Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans now have access to quality, affordable coverage.

According to the American Medical Association, recent studies have shown that despite the steady improvement in overall health of the United States, racial and ethnic minorities experience a lower quality of health services and are less likely to receive routine medical procedures and have higher rates of morbidity and mortality than nonminorities.

Disparities in health care exist even when controlling for gender, condition, age, and socioeconomic status. For example, cardiovascular diseases account for the largest proportion of inequality in life expectancy between African Americans and non-Hispanic whites.

According to the American Cancer Society, African American women have a 44 percent higher death rate from breast cancer, despite having a mammography screening rate that is nearly the same rate for white women.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the CDC, the infant death rate among African Americans is still more than double that of whites.

Mr. Speaker, tonight, you are going to hear my colleagues and I discuss much data and statistics because I am from the great State of Ohio and Ohio ranks 47th in the Nation in infant mortality, with black infants dying at twice the rate of white infants.

According to a 2015 study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, in Ohio, on average, 14.5 black infants die per every 1,000 live births, while 6.3 white infants die.

Ohio community leaders and the Greater Columbus Infant Mortality Task Force are working hard to lower Franklin County's infant mortality rate and the infant mortality rate in all of Ohio. Tonight, I salute them for their research, for their education, and for their consistency to save lives. The statistics are staggering, and we can and must do more to lower and eliminate them.

The societal burden of healthcare disparities in America manifest in multiple and major ways. For example, a 2014 study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies concluded that ``the combined costs of health inequalities and premature death in the United States were $1.24 trillion.'' That $1.24 trillion is the cost between 2003 and 2006.

That is why, on March 23, 2010, when President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, it was a monumental step that has helped us address the overwhelming statistics and health disparities within our community. I proudly supported the Affordable Care Act because lives matter. All lives matter. Black lives matter.

Now, we have comprehensive healthcare reform that improves access to affordable health coverage and guarantees that the most vulnerable in our communities have access to care. By improving access to quality health care for all Americans, the Affordable Care Act helps reduce health disparities.

How does the Affordable Care Act do this? This law invests in prevention and wellness, gives individuals more control over their care, and expands initiatives to increase racial and ethnic diversity in healthcare professions by strengthening cultural competency training for all healthcare providers and improving communications between providers and patients.

The Affordable Care Act represents the most significant Federal effort to reduce disparities in this country's history.

Congressman Payne and Congresswoman Kelly, again, I salute you. I am going to repeat that because it is so important for us to let the Nation know that the Affordable Care Act represents the most significant Federal effort to reduce disparities in this country's history.

The Affordable Care Act also increases funding for community health centers which serve an estimated one in three low-income people and one in four low-income minority residents.

There are over 43 community health centers, Mr. Speaker, in Ohio, including many in my district: Columbus Neighborhood Health Centers, Heart of Ohio Family Health Centers, and Lower Lights Christian Health Centers.

These community health centers provide outstanding primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services in our most underserved areas. In 2013, community health centers provided care to over 550,000 Ohioans and recorded over 2 million patient visits.

We have come a long way, Madam Speaker, but there is still much more for us to do. All people should have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential for health. We must continue to move forward to combat health disparities, build healthier communities, and create a stronger country. In order to have a successful Nation, I believe we must have a healthy Nation.

Let me leave you with something a national figure once said:

If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. If you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.

Let us make sure that all Americans can finish the race.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source