NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING


Committee on Health
Black, Puerto Rican and Hispanic Legislative Caucus
Richard N. Gottfried
Chair

Adriano Espaillat
Chair

Michael Benjamin
Assembly Member

Thursday, April 22, 2004, 10:30 AM
Assembly Hearing Room, 19th Floor
250 Broadway, New York, NY

Subject:
Health Care Disparities between Minorities and Non-Minorities

A report by the Institute of Medicine, Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, determined that "a large body of published research reveals that racial and ethnic minorities experience a lower quality of health services, and are less likely to receive even routine medical procedures than are white Americans." This hearing will focus on analyzing the causes of these disparities and finding solutions at the state level.

African Americans have more than double the infant mortality rate of white Americans. Latinos die from diabetes almost twice as much as white Americans. American Indians and Alaskan Natives experience diabetes at more than double the rate as white Americans. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have higher rates of new cases of hepatitis and tuberculosis than white Americans.

Health disparities have a wide variety of economic and moral consequences. Our society has to pay later for problems that could be solved earlier. More important, millions of people have shorter or less fulfilling lives due to avoidable health problems. The United States Department of Health and Human Services has made it a national goal to eliminate health disparities by the year 2010.

Persons wishing to attend or present testimony at this hearing should complete and return the reply form as soon as possible, but no later than Friday, April 16. It is important that the form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation of the hearing.

Oral testimony will be limited to ten minutes in duration. All testimony is under oath. In preparing the order of witness, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. This request should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as soon as possible. Ten copies of any prepared statement should be submitted at the hearing registration table.

In order to meet the need of those who may have a disability, the New York State Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

Questions regarding this hearing may be directed to Michael Rabinowitz of the Assembly Health Committee staff at 518-455-4941 or Tyrone Benton of the Black, Puerto Rican and Hispanic Legislative Caucus at 518-455-5347.




Health Care Disparities
PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM - RESPOND BY FRIDAY, APRIL 16


Mail to:
Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, 822 LOB, Albany, NY 12248
Or fax to:
518-455-5939


I plan to testify at the hearing on health care disparities.


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