I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8067 

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 

the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to 

conduct or support research related to the United States health care 

system’s response to COVID–19, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 18, 2020 

Mr. BEYER (for himself, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, and 

Mrs. DINGELL) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 

acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality, to conduct or support research 

related to the United States health care system’s response to COVID–19, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Addressing COVID5 19 Health Disparities Act’’. 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 8067 IH

1 SEC. 2. RESEARCH ON UNITED STATES HEALTH CARE SYS2 TEM’S RESPONSE TO COVID–19. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

4 Human Services, acting through the Director of the Agen5 cy for Healthcare Research and Quality, shall conduct or 

6 support research related to the United States health care 

7 system’s response to COVID–19, including with respect 

8 to— 

9 (1) the expansion and efficacy of telehealth use, 

10 including— 

11 (A) identifying obstacles to access for vet12 erans, the elderly, and low-income communities; 

13 (B) evaluating and identifying potential 

14 gaps or other weaknesses that bear on racial 

15 and ethnic disparities in COVID–19 infection 

16 rates, severity of symptoms, and outcomes; 

17 (C) gaps in compliance with health care 

18 privacy and security rules; and 

19 (D) evaluate whether access to, or treat20 ment associated with, telemedicine and care de21 livered in different settings varied by racial and 

22 ethnic group; and 

23 (2) conducting and support rapid turnaround 

24 research to— 

25 (A) identify health care strategies that 

26 help mitigate racial and ethnic disparities in 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 8067 IH

1 COVID–19 infection rates, severity of symp2 toms, and outcomes; 

3 (B) identify health care-related factors 

4 contributing to such disparities racial and eth5 nic disparities in COVID–19 infection rates, 

6 hospitalizations, severity of disease, complica7 tions, and outcomes; 

8 (C) provide recommendations on ensuring 

9 equity in access to other health care interven10 tions, such as flu and pneumococcal pneumonia 

11 vaccination, that may be advanced to mitigate 

12 such disparities, going forward; 

13 (D) identify deficiencies in the health care 

14 system’s supply chain; and 

15 (E) shortfalls in the health care delivery 

16 planning, coordination, and capacity, including 

17 health care delivery to vulnerable communities. 

18 (b) PROTOCOLS ON COVID–19 DISPARITIES.—The 

19 Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through 

20 the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and 

21 Quality, shall coordinate cross-agency engagement with 

22 leaders from racial and ethnic minority groups and other 

23 populations disproportionately affected by COVID–19— 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 8067 IH

1 (1) to develop protocols that ensure these 

2 groups have timely access to safe and effective 

3 COVID–19 vaccines; and 

4 (2) to provide guidance on a COVID–19 vac5 cination strategy that takes into account racial and 

6 ethnic disparities in COVID–19 infection rates, se7 verity of symptoms, and health outcomes. 

8 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

9 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

10 $121,000,000, to remain available until expended. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS