ADVOCACY NEWS: ACA Supports Inclusion of the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2009 in healthcare reform legislation


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The Amputee Coalition of America recently signed on to a letter in support of the TriCaucus health disparities legislation – the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2009 - and its inclusion in health reform legislation.  This letter was delivered to Congress on July 7th. 

 

__________________________

 

 

July 7, 2009

 

The Honorable George Miller                                           The Honorable Charles Rangel

Chairman                                                                      Chairman

Committee on Education and Labor                                  Committee on Ways and Means

U.S. House of Representatives                             U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC  20515                                       Washington, DC 20515

 

The Honorable Henry A. Waxman                                                           

Chairman

Committee on Energy and Commerce

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC  20515

 

 

Dear Chairmen Miller, Rangel, and Waxman:

 

We are writing in support of the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2009 and its inclusion in the final health reform legislation. As you and your colleagues continue to work on health reform legislation, the undersigned coalitions, groups, and organizations urge you to strengthen the commitment to addressing health inequities and make certain that health and health care disparities reduction and elimination is prioritized.

 

Health disparities, which exist along the lines not only of race and ethnicity, but also gender, gender identity, disability, geography, sexual orientation, national origin, and socioeconomics, have a direct and detrimental impact on the health care, health outcomes, and thus, well-being of millions of people in our country. We envision health reform legislation that ensures equity and accountability. The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2009 provides the best opportunity for individuals affected by health disparities to access comprehensive as well as culturally and linguistically appropriate health care and public health services, and to achieve positive health outcomes.    

Comprehensive health reform is essential to improving health across the lifespan of populations and communities that suffer from health disparities and barriers to health care and public health services. Therefore, we urge you to include the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2009 in health reform legislation.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your leadership and commitment to eliminating health disparities. We look forward to working with you to secure passage of health reform legislation that includes the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2009 to ensure that all populations affected by health and health care disparities have access to quality health care and experience optimal health. 

 

We would also like to thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this request and offer our assistance in addressing this critical issue. Please contact Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., at (202) 682-5110 or ddawes@apa.org, if you would like any additional information.

Sincerely,

Adventist HealthCare

Advocates for Youth

Aetna

AIDS Action Council

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

American Academy of Physician Assistants

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

American Association of Pastoral Counselors

American Association on Health and Disability

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

American Counseling Association

American Diabetes Association

American Group Psychotherapy Association

American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

American Medical Student Association

American Nurses Association

American Occupational Therapy Association

American Psychiatric Association

American Psychological Association

American Psychotherapy Association

American Public Health Association

American Social Health Association

Amputee Coalition of America

Anxiety Disorders Association of America

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum

Asian American Justice Center

Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare

Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations

Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU)

Association of Professional Chaplains

Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

Autism Society of America

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

CAEAR Coalition

CAEAR Foundation

California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA)

California Pan-Ethnic Health Network

CANN - Community Access National Network

Center for Integrated Behavioral Health Policy

CHADD – Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Child Welfare League of America

Clinical Social Work Association

Community Health Councils

Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project, CHAMP

Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP)
Summit Health Institute for Research and Education
Asian Pacific Islander Caucus in official relations with APHA

Council on Social Work Education

External Partners Group of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

Families USA

Family Equality Council

Foundation for Mental Health

Having Our Say

Health Care for America Now (HCAN)

Hepatitis Foundation International

HIV Medicine Association

HIVictorious, Inc.

Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research

Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

Latino Agenda for Healthcare Reform

Latinos for National Heath Insurance

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Mental Health America

NAACP

NAMI

National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders

National Association of Chronic Disease Directors Health Equity Council

National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors                   

National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA)

National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems

National Association of Social Workers

National Council of Jewish Women

National Council of La Raza (NCLR)

National Council of Urban Indian Health

National Dental Association

National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health

National Foundation for Mental Health

National Health Equity Coalition

National Health Law Program

National Hispanic Medical Association

National Immigration Law Center

National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH)

National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA)

National LGBT Health Coalition

National Minority AIDS Council

National Puerto Rican Coalition Inc.

National REACH Coalition

National WIC Association

National Women’s Law Center

National Women's Health Network

New Age Services Corporation

Northwest Federation of Community Organizations

Out of Many, One Coalition

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National

Project Inform

Raising Women's Voices for the Health Care We Need

Researchers against Inactivity-related Disorders (RID)

Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)

Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

Special Olympics

The AIDS Institute

The Brooklyn Task Force on Infant and Maternal Mortality and Family Health

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)

The Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital

Thresholds

WE ACT for Environmental Justice

 

Joined by: Consumers Union

 

 

 

CC: President of the United States Barack Obama

       Speaker Nancy Pelosi

       Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

       Majority Whip James Clyburn

     House Energy and Commerce Committee

House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health

House Ways and Means Committee

House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Health

House Education and Labor Committee

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Taskforce

Congressional Black Caucus

Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust

Congressional Hispanic Caucus

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Health and the Environment Taskforce

 

 

 

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