Health and Human Services (HHS) Policy Committee

A RESOLUTION ON SUPPORTING SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS TO COMBAT HUNGER

WHEREAS, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 29.7 million students across the country relied on free or reduced-price school meals each day;

WHEREAS, by providing needed nutrition, school meals are essential to the health and academic success of many students in normal times;

WHEREAS, even though schools closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many school nutrition programs continued to provide vital emergency meals to students and their families through the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year and during the summer months;

WHEREAS, from the very first hours of the crisis, school nutrition staff mobilized to get food to students through innovative models, like drive thru operations and delivery services;

WHEREAS, school meals became a lifeline to many children and families, easing the financial strain and uncertainty caused by COVID-19 economic disruptions and serving as a consistent source of food for students;

WHEREAS, to ensure that their students could access meals safely, many school nutrition programs incurred significant unexpected expenditures, including those associated with meal delivery, hazard pay for staff, personal protective equipment, and increased food procurement costs;

WHEREAS, the increased expenditures related to emergency meal service have left many school nutrition programs operating under financial strain and limiting their ability to serve meals in the 2020-2021 school year;

WHEREAS, according to the Brookings Institution, approximately 14 million children faced hunger in June, which is more than five times greater than the number in 2018 and more than double the number at the peak of the Great Recession;

WHEREAS, Black and Hispanic children experienced a disproportionately higher hunger rate at roughly 30 percent and 25 percent, respectively, compared to less than 10 percent for white children;

WHEREAS, with food insecurity continuing to rise across the country, school meals will be more important for schools in the 2020-2021 school year; and

WHEREAS, school nutrition programs will face unique challenges in the 2020-2021 school year since school meal service may need to be adapted to meet safety recommendations or align with new models of instruction.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) urges policymakers to support school nutrition programs working to ensure that students have access to the meals they need to thrive;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NBCSL urges Congress to allocate the necessary additional funding to provide financial relief for school nutrition programs facing shortfalls due to emergency meal service;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NBCSL encourages policymakers and their membership to explore polices to bolster the efforts of school nutrition programs in serving their communities and combatting hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Representative Royce Duplessis (LA)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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A RESOLUTION CALLING ON CONGRESS TO PRIORITIZE FOOD INSECURITY

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators has an unwavering commitment to ensuring that none of the citizens of the United States should go hungry or be unsure if they will be able to eat their next meal;

WHEREAS, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, over 37 million individuals in the United States experienced food insecurity, including more than 11 million children, and that number is rising exponentially as a result of increasing unemployment, economic hardships, and poverty triggered by the COVID-19 public health crisis;

WHEREAS, according to the Brookings Institution, approximately 14 million children faced hunger in June, which is more than five times greater than the number in 2018 and more than double the number at the peak of the Great Recession;

WHEREAS, racial disparities in food insecurity are demonstrated by recent Census Bureau data showing that while 16 percent of all households with children reported that their children did not have enough to eat in the previous week, approximately 30 percent of Black households and 25 percent of Hispanic households with children reported the same;

WHEREAS, food insecurity can contribute to, or exacerbate, nutrition deficits, which has been linked to increased prevalence of chronic diseases and conditions;

WHEREAS, ample research shows that food insecurity negatively affects the physical and cognitive development of children including academic performance;

WHEREAS, many school districts, community organizations, and state and local governments are working tirelessly to meet the growing nutritional needs of families;

WHEREAS, the national unemployment rate is the highest since the Great Depression and double the Great Recession;

WHEREAS, according to a recent poll by the Pew Charitable Trusts, more than half of adults in lower-income households, 44 percent of Black adults, and 61 percent of Hispanic adults say they or someone in their household has lost a job or taken a pay cut due to COVID-19;

WHEREAS, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides eligible families with a grocery benefit they can use to purchase groceries directly;

WHEREAS, SNAP is a safe, effective, and responsible way to ensure that vulnerable families can get the food they need during this unprecedented crisis;

WHEREAS, SNAP assistance has long been recognized as an effective economic stimulus during economic downturn, generating between $1.50 and $1.80 in economic activity for every $1.00 spent through the program;

WHEREAS, increasing investments in SNAP would both combat hunger during this time of rising food insecurity and boost the economy struggling with record unemployment;

WHEREAS, an estimated 22 million students across the country rely on free or reduced-price meals each day;

WHEREAS, Congress established the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program to provide grocery assistance to families that receive free and reduced-price school meals when schools initially closed due to COVID-19;

WHEREAS, P-EBT has played a critical role in supporting food access for many families with children that rely on school meals; and

WHEREAS, P-EBT assistance will continue to be needed as schools adopt non-traditional operation models and face the prospect of COVID-19-related closures throughout the upcoming school year.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) calls on Congress to appropriate addition funding for the SNAP program to reduce food insecurity and help ensure an effective and equitable economic recovery;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL urges Congress to continue distribution of P-EBT to offset meals missed by children traditionally participating in child nutrition programs, like summer and school meals regardless if schools are able to reopen;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL calls on Congress to prioritize food security as it continues to respond to COVID-19 and the economic recovery from the pandemic continues; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Representative Shevrin Jones (FL)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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A RESOLUTION ON ENDING RACIAL HEALTH DISPARITIES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

WHEREAS, novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a disease that can result in serious illness or death, the number of confirmed cases to over 5,000,000 and over 164,000 deaths as of August 12^, 2020 creating deep disruptions to the nation’s economy, homes, educational, civic, social, and religious institutions;

WHEREAS, to date 32,702 Black Americans are known to have lost their lives to COVID-19 through Tuesday, Aug. 4. as reported by APM Research Lab;

WHEREAS, according to APM Research Lab, Black Americans are disproportionally affected by COVID-19 and have the highest death rate at 80.4 deaths per 100,000 compared to 35.9 deaths per 100,000, if Black Americans had the same death rate as White Americans 18,000 Black Americans would still be alive;

WHEREAS it is caused by a new strain of coronavirus not previously identified in humans and is easily spread from person to person, there is currently no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment for this disease;

WHEREAS, data suggests that African Americans are more likely to be exposed to COVID-19 because many are considered part of the critical workforce by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and must continue to work;

WHEREAS, that includes caregivers, cashiers, sanitation workers, farm workers and public transit employees;

WHEREAS, according to 2019 data, African Americans are less likely than employed people in general to work in professional and business services – the sorts of jobs more amenable to telecommuting;

WHEREAS, driving to jobs alone isn’t always an option, with approximately 34 percent of African Americans using public transportation on a regular basis compared to 14 percent of white people according to a 2016 report from the Pew Research Center;

WHEREAS, continued use of public transit during the pandemic brings African Americans in greater contact with infected people, and increases their risk of contracting COVID-19;

WHEREAS, a disproportionately high percentage of African Americans live in places that have seen outbreaks of COVID-19 and thus increases their exposure;

WHEREAS, Census data from January 2020 show that only 44 percent of African Americans own their own home compared to 74 percent of white people;

WHEREAS, African Americans are at a higher risk of getting severely ill because of comorbidity issues like hypertension;

WHERAS, according to the American Heart Association, 40% of African Americans have high blood pressure which is among the highest rates in the world;

WHEREAS, part of that is in direct correlation to African Americans exposure to air pollution which can be linked to chronic health problems including asthma, obesity and cardiovascular disease;

WHEREAS, African Americans have less access to medical care, which includes not having adequate health insurance, discrimination fears, and living further away from clinics and hospitals;

WHEREAS, according to the Century Foundation’s December 2019 report, African Americans are more likely to be uninsured than whites and those who are insured, spend more of their income on premiums and out of pocket costs, about 20 percent more than the average American who spends about 11 percent;

WHEREAS, Census data, show that about 20 percent of African Americans live in poverty compared to 10 percent of white Americans as a result African Americans have been hurt disproportionately by some states’ decision not to expand Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act;

WHEREAS, according to the Annual Review of Public Health, lack of preventive care means more African Americans are more likely than any other racial group in the United States to be hospitalized for asthma, diabetes, heart failure and post-surgery complications.

WHEREAS, epidemiologist Kiarra Kershaw of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago said, “long-standing structural forms of discrimination that African Americans have faced in the (United States) are manifesting in what we’re seeing with COVID right now”; and

WHEREAS, our Nation should put the health and safety of all citizens, communities, and businesses at the forefront and would benefit from a task force devoted to thoroughly studying and developing strategies to immediately address this troubling disparity and the historical and systemic inequities that underlie it.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) calls on U.S. Congress to immediately establish a Task Force on Racial Disparities at Department of Health and Human Services to begin to study the disproportionate effects on racial and ethnic minorities and actions need to address such disparities, and include all pertinent federal departments;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL further believes that such a task force should perform outreach to ensure all stakeholders in impacted areas are informed, educated, and empowered, and that such outreach should include, but is not limited to, community leaders, partner organizations, tribal governments, local government officials, and other elected officials representing the impacted areas;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL believes that such a task force should examine removing barriers to accessing physical and mental health care, reducing the impact of medical bias in testing and treatment, environmental and infrastructure factors contributing to increased exposure during pandemics resulting in mortality, and developing long-term strategies for physical and mental health care following a pandemic;

BE IT FURTHER RESOVLED, that the NBCSL believes that Congress and state legislatures should establish a Special Committee in each chamber to examine federal and state laws relevant to combatting racial disparities during the pandemic and how to best address them;

BE IT FURTHER RESOVLED, that the NBCSL believes that Congress should not wait for the full results of the task force and should immediately allocate money to the Office of Minority Health at the Department of Health and Human Services to immediately begin to allocate the funding necessary so that states and localities can improve these disparities; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR(S): Representative London Lamar (TN), Representative Karen Bennett (GA), and Representative Debra Bazemore (GA)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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A RESOLUTION ON COVID-19 AND HEALTH DISPARITIES ACROSS AMERICA

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators’ (NBCSL) fifteen (15) policy committees focus on improving the health and well-being of African American communities by encouraging systematic public policy change;

WHEREAS, despite the efforts of health care professionals, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged state and national healthcare systems; and exposed the deep-rooted health disparities and outcomes affecting African Americans, Hispanic-Americans and other communities of color;

WHEREAS, African Americans are five times more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19 than their white counterparts, and those from Hispanic or Latino backgrounds are four times more likely;

WHEREAS, structures of systemic racism, implicit biases in medical institutions, less or lack of access to high-quality care, residential segregation, higher rates of comorbidities and underlying health conditions, and lower wage jobs deemed “essential” have put communities of color at greater risk of COVID-19 exposure and severe illness;

WHEREAS, African Americans encounter disproportionately higher mortality and morbidity from Maternal and Infant Mortality, Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke, Diabetes, Asthma, and Mental Illness, among many other conditions;

WHEREAS, African American women are 4 times more likely to die in childbirth than white women, and the racial discrepancies in maternal death rates persist even when controlling for socioeconomic status and education;

WHEREAS, African Americans and other communities of color are under-represented in clinical trials due to systemic obstacles such as mistrust of the medical establishment and lack of affordable transportation to clinical trial sites; and

WHEREAS, ongoing data limitations are creating barriers to tailor prevention and treatment strategies aimed at communities facing the highest risk of harm from COVID-19.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) urges federal, state and county legislators and officials to enact policies and adopt a multi-pronged approach to address the inequities in medical care affecting the American community, particularly due to the debilitating effects of COVID-19;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will work with our various partners, governmental agencies, and the private sector to leverage their expertise and support the development of a safe and effective preventive vaccine for COVID-19, ensuring all communities, specifically marginalized and diverse ones, have equitable and timely access;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will call on our partners and the private sector to accelerate the ongoing work to screen compound libraries to identify potential therapeutic treatments for COVID-19;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL believes that while a vaccine is needed quickly that we can in way sacrifice patient safety, and that any approval should be completely transparent to fully ensure the patient’s safety and trust in the process;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will work with our members, policymakers, governmental agencies, and the private sector to emphasize the importance of recruiting underserved and underrepresented patients, utilizing diverse clinical trial personnel, ensuring language accessibility, and improving awareness and education about clinical trials in underrepresented populations to facilitate greater trust and participation;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL calls on states and policymakers to support healthcare workers and organizations by evaluating and enhancing medical education and training including education on implicit bias and racial disparities, and providing them with protective equipment, financial support and mental health resources to ensure they have the tools and support they need to provide quality care;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL strongly urges all states and federal legislators to recognize this crisis, develop new solutions, increase the available resources, study the disparities showcased by COVID-19, develop solutions, and share best practices to end the systemic racial inequality in patient outcomes in the United States;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL believes that this pandemic has exacerbated racial disparities and urges additional resources to be provided to communities of color, to stop the gap in health outcomes from growing and to allow that gap to close; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR(S): Representative Laura Hall (AL), Representative Gregory Porter (IN), Representative Robin Shackleford (IN), Senator Jean Breaux (IN), and Representative Karen Camper (TN)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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A RESOLUTION ON EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR TRANSFORMATIVE THERAPIES FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE

WHEREAS, sickle cell anemia and sickle cell disease, used interchangeably, refer to a group of inherited disorders that affect the red blood cells;

WHEREAS, sickle cell disease is a disease in which a person’s body produces abnormally shaped red blood cells that resemble a crescent or sickle, and that do not last as long as normal round red blood cells, which leads to anemia;

WHEREAS, the sickle cells also get stuck in blood vessels and block blood flow, resulting in vaso-occlusive crises which can cause pain and organ damage;

WHEREAS, sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder where individuals with the disease are born with two sickle cell genes, each inherited from one parent;

WHEREAS, an individual with only one sickle cell gene has a “sickle cell trait,” which occurs in one out of every 13 African Americans and in one out of every 100 Latinos in the United States;

WHEREAS, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that sickle cell disease affects approximately 100,000 Americans, and occurs among about 1 in every 365 Black or African-American births and 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic-American births;

WHEREAS, the National Institutes of Health is working on innovative genetic therapies that could someday cure sickle cell disease;

WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug designation to sickle cell therapies to provide incentives and encourage the development of therapies for rare diseases;

WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval for a new treatment for sickle cell disease at the end of 2019;

WHEREAS, sickle cell disease is a chronic condition that can affect any organ, including the kidneys, lungs, and spleen, and research indicates that patients experience many severe complications, including stroke, infections, and pulmonary embolism, and have a shorter life expectancy than the general population;

WHEREAS, Vaso-occlusive crises are a common painful complication of sickle cell disease in adolescents and adults which may occur several times a year, and these recurrent episodes induce severe pain; decrease quality of life; can cause life-threatening complications, including stroke; are the primary cause of hospitalizations in sickle cell disease; and are associated with increase mortality;

WHEREAS, Vaso-occlusive crises are the leading cause of hospitalizations that last several days;

WHEREAS, sickle cell disease can be a life-threatening condition leading to a 25 to 30-year reduction in life expectancy, and access to comprehensive care can be limited by social, economic, cultural, and geographic barriers;

WHEREAS, according to a 2018 study, the total economic burden on the US healthcare system associated with sickle cell disease was 2.98 billion dollars annually, of which 57% was attributed to hospital inpatient costs;

WHEREAS, the estimated annual medical cost for patients with sickle cell disease range from more than $34,000 to more than $286,000;

WHEREAS, nationwide, more than 70% of patients with sickle cell disease are insured under state Medicaid programs;

WHEREAS, individuals living with sickle cell disease encounters barriers to obtaining quality care and improving their quality of life, these barriers include limitations in geographic access to comprehensive care, the varied use of effective treatments, the high reliance on emergency care and on public health programs, and the limited number of health care providers with knowledge and experience to manage and treat sickle cell disease;

WHEREAS, historically and continuing today, the sickle cell disease patient community has been medically underserved, a fact which President Richard Nixon recognized in 1972 when he signed the Sickle Cell Anemia Control Act into law, pledging that his administration would “reverse the record of neglect of the dreaded disease;”

WHEREAS, while there is no widely available cure for sickle cell disease, one-time gene therapies, including gene editing therapeutic approaches, are being developed which may offer potential cures for some patients;

WHEREAS one-time, potentially curative therapies for sickle cell disease may offer substantial savings over the patient’s lifetime by avoiding future the cost of future health services; and

WHEREAS, The National Black Caucus of State Legislators represents communities and states across the country most affected by sickle cell disease.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators(NBCSL) urges state and federal policymakers to examine and address when possible the regulatory barriers that have and may continue to impede patient access to novel therapies, including one-time, potentially curative therapies;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that state Medicaid programs should work to ensure that sickle cell patients in state Medicaid programs have access to potentially curative therapies when those treatments are proven and federally approved;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that state and federal policymakers take all necessary actions to identify and remove other impediments on patients and their families, such as logistical and financial challenges, including missing work, child care, and other issues, that may prevent or otherwise impede all patients including sickle cell patients from accessing potentially curative therapies; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR(S): Senator Marilyn Moore (CT) and Representative Gregory Porter (IN)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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A RESOLUTION ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH: THE DISPARATE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

WHEREAS, for as long as African Americans have been in the United States, they have suffered disproportionately from Chronic Diseases, Infectious and Immunological Diseases, Intended and Unintended Injuries, and Reproductive Health conditions;

WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, even though African American adults are 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, they are less likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to have their blood pressure under control;

WHEREAS, African Americans were 20 percent more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic whites and African-American women are 60 percent more likely to have high blood pressure;

WHEREAS, African Americans have a 50 percent higher rate of Hypertension;

WHEREAS, African Americans have a 20 percent rate of Asthma and an 80 percent higher mortality rate;

WHEREAS, African Americans have a 60 percent higher rate of Diabetes and a 110 percent higher death rate;

WHEREAS, African Americans have a 130 percent rate of Overweight and Obese;

WHEREAS, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), when the first case of the COVID-19 pandemic entered the United States on January 20, 2020, African-Americans were not more susceptible to contracting the virus than other demographic groups;

WHEREAS, African Americans are more likely to live in multi-generational households, making it impossible for older family members with co-morbid conditions to isolate from others socially;

WHEREAS, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hospitalization rates are 4.4 time higher for Latinos than whites;

WHEREAS, according to the CDC, Black and Latinos Americans comprise nearly 55% of coronavirus cases, nearly double the level that these communities make-up in the overall US population;

WHEREAS, the CDC has also shown that 3.5 times more American Indians and Alaska Natives were infected with Covid-19 than whites;

WHEREAS, when Governors began shutting down their states to prevent the spread of the virus, many African Americans were unable to “stay home” because they were considered “essential workers” and efforts were required to help feed, care for, and support various communities throughout this country;

WHEREAS, being classified as an “essential worker” caused an increasing in members of communities of color to be exposed to the virus;

WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), because African Americans have disproportionately higher medical conditions, incidences, and mortality rates due to Hypertension, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD), Obesity, and many other social determinants of health, they were impacted by COVID-19 at a higher rate than other groups;

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report shows that African Americans have a 2.6 times higher case, 4.7 times higher hospitalization, and 2.1 times higher COVID-19 death rate than non-Hispanic White persons;

WHEREAS, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), the role of vital public health resources and infrastructure in a particular zip codes had a severe impact on the COVID-19 incidences and death rate experienced by African-Americans, play a substantial role;

WHEREAS, according to RxAccord.com, many African American zip codes suffer from Food Deserts, Primary Care Physician Deserts, Hospital Deserts, Pharmacy Deserts, Financial Services Deserts, and Activity Deserts, and other resources that make up a healthy community;

WHEREAS, the disparate supply of these resources directly impacts the quality of health in these communities, and thus, adversely impact African Americans who reside in these zip codes;

WHEREAS, the co-morbid health conditions that lead to the COVID-19 health disparities experienced in largely African American zip codes can be addressed by both changing behaviors and the allocation of appropriate health resources;

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) ratified RESOLUTION HHS-20-54 that strove to find resources necessary to inform our legislators of an inventory of grocery stores, hospitals, places of worship, educational resources, and various financial service organizations initially to compare neighborhoods, even before the first case of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, NBCSL believes that adequate resources are required in every community to reduce chronic disease risk and to improve health outcomes.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) will expand our work with its partners to identify the social determinants of health by zip code for Chronic Diseases, Infectious and Immunological Diseases, Intended and Unintended Injuries, and Reproductive Health conditions;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will work with our fellow legislators, all units of government, and various partners to identify and inform our legislators of how various zip codes are adversely impacted by social determinants of health;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will work with our partners to identify and address the social determinants of health that caused African Americans to experience disproportionately higher rates of COVID-19, including but not limited to poverty, racism, availability of resources to meet daily needs, access to educational, economic, and job opportunities, access to health care services, availability of community-based resources in support of community living and opportunities for recreational and leisure-time activities, transportation options, and other social restrictions;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will encourage partnerships between faith, public, private, and non-profit sector organizations to identify and address Food Deserts, Primary Care Physician Deserts, Hospital Deserts, Pharmacy Deserts, Financial Services Deserts, and Activity Deserts in United States zip codes;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will explore how programs, practices, and policies in these areas affect the health of individuals, families, and communities, establish common goals, complementary roles, and ongoing constructive relationships between the health sector and these areas, and maximize opportunities for collaboration among federal, state, and local government partners related to social determinants of health;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL encourages our legislators, all levels of government, other partners to inventory grocery stores, hospitals, pharmacies, educational resources, and various financial service organizations to compare neighborhoods;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will continually reassess and help members, policymakers, governmental agencies, and the private sector identify areas that lack healthy resources;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL will work with communities to identify incentives like Opportunity Zones and others to encourage investment and resource allocation in communities that have negative outcomes; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Representative Laura Hall (AL)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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A RESOLUTION ON AFFORDABILITY OF MEDICINES

WHEREAS, medicines are a critical investment for improving patient health and reducing overall cost to the broader health care system;

WHEREAS, according to the Healthcare Institute of New Jersey between 1980 and 2010, medical advancements helped add 5 years to U.S. life expectancy;

WHEREAS, according to the American Cancer Society, due in part to advances in medicines, the cancer death rate declined by 29 percent from 1991 to 2017, including a 2.2 percent drop from 2016 to 2017, the largest single-year drop in cancer mortality ever reported;

WHEREAS, out-of-pocket costs that are required by health insurers for innovative prescription drugs have been steadily increasing in the form of higher deductibles and coinsurance;

WHEREAS, patients are exposed to deductibles receive no benefit from their insurance plan early in the plan year to help reduce their health care costs;

WHEREAS, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), between 2012 and 2017, the share of employer sponsored health plans requiring patients to meet a deductible for prescription medicines increased from 23% to 52%;

WHEREAS, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, average annual deductibles for family coverage range from nearly $3,000 for health plans offered by employers to more than $13,000 for bronze plans available on the Health Insurance Exchange, and after the deductible is met, coinsurance for many brand medicines can be as high as 30% to 50%;

WHEREAS, health plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) negotiate substantial discounts and rebates on brand medicines, but these discounted prices are not made available to patients;

WHEREAS, in 2019 pharmaceutical manufacturers paid more than $175 billion in rebates, discounts, and other price concessions to health plans, the government, and other entities, which lowered the net price of brand medicines by an average of 45%;

WHEREAS, unlike other medical services, health plans require patients with deductibles or coinsurance to pay cost sharing based on a medicine’s full undiscounted price; and

WHEREAS, because health plans typically do not pass along the savings from manufacturer rebates to patients, out-of-pocket costs are significantly higher brand medicines than they would be if based on the discounted cost of the medicine.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) believes that prescription medicines are a critical tool in preventing, treating and curing disease;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL supports manufacturer rebates and discounts paid to health plans and PBMs being passed through directly to the consumer at the pharmacy counter to lower out-of-pocket cost;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL reiterates its belief that deductibles and co-payments must be reduced to make healthcare affordable and obtainable for all Americans; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR(S): Representative Lamar London (TN), Representative Robin Shackleford (IN), and Representative Karen Camper (TN)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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A RESOLUTION ON OBESITY

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) has previous policy resolutions recognizing the importance of preventing and reducing obesity, such as AGR-13-15, “ADDRESSING THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC IN AMERICA,” HHS-11-19, “SUPPORTING INCREASED ACCESS TO QUALITY NUTRITION AND SUPPORT FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN,” and HHS-10-11, “A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE PREVALENCE OF EXCESS WEIGHT AND OBESITY WITHIN THE AFRICANAMERICAN COMMUNITY, AND ITS IMPACT ON DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND URGING INNOVATIVE AND IMPROVED SOLUTIONS”, and HHS-14-49 “INCREASING ACCESS TO OBESITY TREATMENT OPTIONS;”

WHEREAS, obesity is recognized as a disease by organizations that include the World Health Organization, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the American Medical Association, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and the Endocrine Society;

WHEREAS, almost 72 percent of Americans are overweight or obese and certain demographic and socioeconomic groups, including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and the impoverished are disproportionately affected by obesity;

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health reports that in 2018, African Americans were 1.3 times more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic Whites, and African American women were 50 percent more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic White women;

WHEREAS, COVID-19 has shined a light on the health inequities experienced by communities of color, as African Americans and Hispanics have been disproportionally affected by the virus;

WHEREAS, obesity has been shown to be the strongest predictor for COVID-19 and is not only associated with severity of disease but also may predispose patients to getting Covid-19;

WHEREAS, according to Science Magazine, hospitalized patients in the US found that of the 17,000 patients hospitalized, 29% were overweight and 48% had obesity;

WHEREAS, according to Science Magazine, obesity negatively influences health outcomes, a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed papers covering 399,000 patients found that people with obesity who contracted COVID-19 were 113% more likely than healthy people to be admitted to the hospital, 74% more likely to end up in the ICU, and 48% more likely to die;

WHEREAS, social determinants of health (SDH) that often impact communities of color also increase the chances that a person will be infected with the novel coronavirus;

WHEREAS, African Americans are more likely to hold jobs that are considered essential or cannot be done from home, and are more likely to be employed in the service industry (24%) than whites (16%), putting them at risk of exposure if they continue to work in those positions;

WHEREAS, inequities in access to and quality of care lead to poorer health overall and many chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and obesity, that influence their chances of getting COVID-19;

WHEREAS, characteristics of communities in which African Americans often reside may place them at greater risk for developing chronic illnesses, such as lack of affordable and healthy foods or safe places to play or exercise outdoors;

WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Department (FDA) has approved a number of pharmaceuticals as safe and effective for weight management and the treatment of obesity;

WHEREAS, community programs are also critical to addressing obesity in communities, to help those affected lose weight, and make long term healthy habits;

WHEREAS, progress in the development of lifestyle modification therapy, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery has led to new options with improved patient outcomes;

WHEREAS, the Medicare program currently covers obesity screening and counseling and certain bariatric surgery procedures for morbidly obese beneficiaries, but the Medicare law prohibits Part D coverage of prescription drugs to treat obesity; and

WHEREAS, a small number of state Medicaid programs (currently about 16 states) provide some coverage for medications for chronic weight management.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) recognizes that health inequities in communities of color have led to a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 and that states must address the high rates of obesity to improve the health of communities of color and prepare for the next public health epidemic;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL calls on Congress to eliminate the barriers to coverage of proven FDA approved anti-obesity medications in the Medicare Part D program;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the legislators of NBCSL will work within their states to ensure that the full continuum of treatment options, that have been approved by FDA, are available through Medicaid programs and state employee health plans;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL further urges additional resources from federal, state, and local governments to support community programs that provide long-term support for lifestyle changes that can reduce obesity and help people maintain their weight loss; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Representative Laura Hall (AL)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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A RESOLUTION ON LUPUS AWARENESS

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) supports initiatives designed to address health care disparities and inequalities;

WHEREAS, lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body including skin, joints, and internal organs;

WHEREAS, people with lupus can experience significant symptoms, such as pain, extreme fatigue, hair loss, cognitive issues, and physical impairments that affect every facet of their lives as well as co-morbidity and mortality conditions such as cardiovascular disease and kidney failure;

WHEREAS, the effects of lupus on a family can be devastating in that it is a chronic, lifelong, and life-threatening disease, and despite its prevalence, it remains one of the least recognizable and most misunderstood diseases labeling lupus as the cruel mystery;

WHEREAS, according to the Lupus Foundation of America, 10% to 15% of people with lupus die prematurely due to related complications;

WHEREAS, approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer from lupus and it disproportionately affects young women of color in the U.S.;

WHEREAS, according to the Lupus Foundation of America, 63% of Americans surveyed still have never heard of lupus or know little or nothing about this disease, its symptoms, and its more serious complications such as lupus nephritis;

WHEREAS, additionally, lupus is two to three times more prevalent among women of color as roughly one in 500 young African American women suffer from Lupus;

WHEREAS, lupus affects primarily young women in their crucial childbearing years, but it can also affect men and children of all ages;

WHEREAS, research and development into diseases that disproportionately impact people of color has historically been grossly underfunded;

WHEREAS, lupus related research and development is still underfunded;

WHEREAS, lupus is a major health issue that has a significant impact on the economy and takes an immeasurable physical, financial, and emotional toll on many families;

WHEREAS, this lack of funding has left lupus incurable and has enhanced health disparities;

WHEREAS, despite lupus research and development being underfunded, a few treatment options that represent clinical advancements in various forms of lupus, including the morbidity-causing complication lupus nephritis, are likely to be approved soon by the FDA;

WHEREAS, these treatments can greatly improve the lives of those with lupus;

WHEREAS, people of color have often struggled to gain timely access to new or advanced treatments further widening disparities in health care,

WHEREAS, to reduce costs, states often attempt to delay adding new therapies to their Medicaid Drug Formularies, even if such therapies represent significant clinical advancements;

WHEREAS, even after adding new therapies to their formularies, to cut costs, states often use restrictive and burdensome processes, such as prior approval or “fail-first” step edits, which prevent or delay patients’ access to necessary therapies; and

WHEREAS, there is currently only one FDA-approved medication for lupus and zero FDA-approved medications for lupus nephritis.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) recognizes the impact lupus has on the African American community;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL urges all states to work to quickly add any FDA approved and effective therapies indicated for the treatment of lupus or lupus nephritis to their formularies;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL urges states to expedite access to safe and proven access to lupus or lupus nephritis therapies through restrictive and burdensome processes so that patients may access these therapies for which they have waited so long;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBSCL urges federal and state policymakers to increase funding for lupus research;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBSCL urges federal, state, and local policymakers enact policies to raise awareness of lupus; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR(S): Representative Kim Schofield (GA), Representative Karen Camper (TN), and Representative Debra Bazemore (GA)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)  and Senator Marilyn Moore (CT)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 3, 2020
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President

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