Social Determinants of Health Data Analysis Act of 2021
Floor Speech
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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4026) to require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress a report on actions taken by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to address social determinants of health.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4026
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Social Determinants of Health Data Analysis Act of 2021''. SEC. 2. REPORT ON ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on actions taken by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') to address social determinants of health. Such report shall include the following:
(1) An analysis of how any data collection undertaken by the Secretary in furtherance of such actions complies with Federal and State privacy laws and regulations.
(2) A description of any coordination undertaken by the Secretary with other relevant Federal agencies and State and local authorities as part of such actions.
(3) An identification of any potential for duplication of such actions or other barriers to such actions.
(4) Recommendations on how to foster private-public partnerships, as well as how best to leverage private sector efforts, to address social determinants of health.
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Mr. PALLONE. 4026.
Mr. Speaker, social determinants, or social drivers, of health affect every single person in our communities. They are aspects of our daily living, such as the conditions in the places where we live, learn, work, and play, which can positively or negatively affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes.
Through our healthcare system, social determinants of health are being examined as part of a holistic view of a person's healthcare.
A noted example was highlighted by The New England Journal of Medicine linking the loop that determinants can play throughout a person's life. Poor health or lack of education can impact employment opportunities which, in turn, constrains income. Low incomes reduce access to healthcare and nutritious food and overall increase hardship. Hardship causes stress which, in turn, promotes unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance abuse and poor nutrition choices. And poor nutrition increases risk factors for heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
When not given an equal opportunity to thrive, these social factors can compound and snowball to negatively impact a person and their community. Fortunately, States are becoming innovative in addressing social needs in the communities to improve health and decrease costs.
Today, we are taking another step in the right direction by considering H.R. 4026, the Social Determinants of Health Data Analysis Act of 2021. This bipartisan legislation requires a report on programs undertaken by the Department of Health and Human Services to address social determinants of health. The report would include recommendations to foster private-public partnerships and include an analysis of privacy measures as part of social determinants of health data collection.
The report and research, Mr. Speaker, will help inform our future work on social determinants, and, therefore, it is important that we pass this bill.
I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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