BILL NUMBER: SB 508	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hernandez

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2013

   An act to add Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 128955) to Part 5
of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to public
health.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   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:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) In California, there is a great risk that the prevalence of
health disparities may increase as our population becomes even more
multicultural. By the year 2040, it is expected that two out of three
Californians will be Latino, Asian American, or African American. As
the state becomes increasingly diverse, the vision of a healthy and
productive California will rely more on our ability to eliminate
racial and ethnic disparities, and our actions to improve the health
of our multicultural communities.
   (b) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development within
the California Health and Human Services Agency maintains the
inpatient hospital discharge data set, a consolidated database of
health diagnoses and procedures as reported from licensed health
facilities throughout the state. This database contains 3.8 million
observations per year in 18 variable categories, including diagnoses,
procedures, race, ethnicity, insurance, and residence ZIP Code. This
data set has shown several instances of racial and ethnic health
disparities, including African Americans having greater
hospitalization rates for ambulatory sensitive conditions such as
diabetes and heart failure than any other racial group.
  SEC. 2.  Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 128955) is added to
Part 5 of Division 107 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 5.  HEALTH DISPARITY REPORT


   128955.  (a) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development, with support from the California Health and Human
Services Agency, shall, based on the inpatient hospital discharge
data set, develop a health disparity report to assess the levels of
measurable health disparities in the state among minorities. The
health disparity report shall focus on the following areas of
concern, consistent with the Healthy People 2020 priorities:
   (1) Cardiovascular disease.
   (2) Breast cancer.
   (3) Cervical cancer.
   (4) Diabetes.
   (5) HIV/AIDS.
   (6) Infant mortality.
   (7) Asthma.
   (8) Mental health.
   (9) Trauma.
   (b) Key principles of the health disparity report shall include,
but not be limited to, both of the following:
   (1) Consideration of the effects of current policies in public
health, social welfare, housing, and education that contribute to
health disparities.
   (2) The ability of public and private partnerships, including
federal, state, local, and community-level efforts, to reduce health
disparities.
   (c) By January 1, 2016, the Office of Statewide Health Planning
and Development and the California Health and Human Services Agency
shall complete the report and deliver it to the Legislature.