SB 508, as introduced, Hernandez. Health disparity report.
Existing law provides that the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, within the California Health and Human Services Agency, is the single state agency designated to prescribe health facility or clinic data for use by all state agencies.
This bill would require the office, with support from the agency, to develop a health disparity report based upon the inpatient hospital discharge data set. The bill would require the report to focus on specified areas of concern, such as cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. The bill would also require the office and agency, by January 1, 2016, to complete and deliver the report to the Legislature.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(a) In California, there is a great risk that the prevalence of
4health disparities may increase as our population becomes even
5more multicultural. By the year 2040, it is expected that two out
6of three Californians will be Latino, Asian American, or African
P2 1American. As the state becomes increasingly diverse, the vision
2of a healthy and productive California will rely more on our ability
3to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities, and our actions to improve
4the health of our multicultural communities.
5(b) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
6within the California Health and Human Services Agency
maintains
7the inpatient hospital discharge data set, a consolidated database
8of health diagnoses and procedures as reported from licensed health
9facilities throughout the state. This database contains 3.8 million
10observations per year in 18 variable categories, including
11diagnoses, procedures, race, ethnicity, insurance, and residence
12ZIP Code. This data set has shown several instances of racial and
13ethnic health disparities, including African Americans having
14greater hospitalization rates for ambulatory sensitive conditions
15such as diabetes and heart failure than any other racial group.
Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 128955) is added
17to Part 5 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:
18
(a) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and
22Development, with support from the California Health and Human
23Services Agency, shall, based on the inpatient hospital discharge
24data set, develop a health disparity report to assess the levels of
25measurable health disparities in the state among minorities. The
26health disparity report shall focus on the following areas of
27concern, consistent with the Healthy People 2020 priorities:
28(1) Cardiovascular disease.
29(2) Breast cancer.
30(3) Cervical cancer.
31(4) Diabetes.
32(5) HIV/AIDS.
33(6) Infant mortality.
34(7) Asthma.
35(8) Mental health.
36(9) Trauma.
37(b) Key principles of the health disparity report shall include,
38but not be limited to, both of the following:
P3 1(1) Consideration of the effects of current policies in public
2health, social welfare, housing, and education that contribute to
3health disparities.
4(2) The ability of public and private partnerships, including
5federal, state, local, and community-level efforts, to reduce health
6disparities.
7(c) By January 1, 2016, the Office of Statewide Health Planning
8and Development and the California Health and Human Services
9Agency shall complete the report and deliver it to the Legislature.
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