Rep. Johnson leads letter on health disparities

Nearly 50 colleagues – including GA Reps. Lewis and Scott -- join Congressman’s letter to Appropriations Committee urging funding for critical programs that address ethnic, racial health disparities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) sent a letter to Reps. Jack Kingston (R-GA and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) of the House Appropriations Committee urging his colleagues to carefully consider the impact of discretionary spending cuts on the many critical programs that address ethnic and racial health disparities.

“The cost and impact of health disparities is already severe, even before any additional funding cuts are made. There are credible estimates that health disparities cost the country as much as $300 billion a year and there are many Americans who suffer unnecessarily because they do not have access to the care they need. The programs outlined in this letter are critical to addressing health disparities. By investing in these programs and addressing disparities today, we can improve health outcomes, and save lives and money.”

Specifically, Rep. Johnson’s letter calls for continuing investments in the programs that are critical to addressing health disparities in our communities and across the country, including:

• $65 million for the Office of Minority Health

• $268 million for the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities at NIH

• $30 million for Minority Centers of Excellence (COE)

• $21 million for Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP)

• $75 million for Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)

• $50 million for CDC REACH program

• $65 million for Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutes program at the Department of Education

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