Establishes a Minority Coordinating Council on Asthmatic Affairs within the department of health

1 Co-sponsor

• Adriano Espaillat

BILL NUMBER:S1426A

Title of bill

An act to establish a Minority Coordinating Council on Asthmatic Affairs

Purpose

To create a coordinating council to improve prevention and treatment of asthma.

Summary of provisions

Would require the commissioner of health to establish a Minority Coordinating Council on Asthmatic Affairs, and to appoint as many members as he or she deems appropriate. The council would be required to assess the asthma risk factors for minority citizens in NY, identify existing barrier to quality asthma treatment and care among minorities, develop action steps for addressing care issues, and launch a state-wide asthma awareness campaign.

Justification

According to the American Lung Association, there are over 1.6 million New Yorkers with asthma, with over 380,000 of them being children. The annual cost of asthma is estimated to be nearly 18 billion dollars. Access to health care for ethnic minorities is often hampered by socioeconomic disparities, shortages of primary care physicians in minority communities, language and literacy barriers, and cultural beliefs about the role and usefulness of medicines. There have emerged clear disparities in the burden and treatment of asthma in the communities of ethnic minorities. The burden of asthma falls disproportionately on the African American and Hispanic populations, and especially on children of these ethnic minorities. Therefore, it is the intent of this legislature to create a coordinating council to address these issues and to improve awareness and management of asthma prevention and treatment for minorities in this state.

Legislative history

2009/2010: S.4157-A - Health Committee 2011-2012: S.4550-A - Died in Committee 2013: S.1426 - Died in Committee

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

Immediately.