Title: Recognizing that many Americans are not aware of the ways in which health care policy can affect every part of their lives and expressing support for the designation of the month of August as "National Health Care Awareness Month".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution supports the designation of National Health Care Awareness Month.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 590 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 590

  Recognizing that many Americans are not aware of the ways in which 
health care policy can affect every part of their lives and expressing 
support for the designation of the month of August as ``National Health 
                        Care Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 17, 2021

   Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York (for herself, Mr. Payne, Mr. 
   Suozzi, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Barragan, Ms. 
Adams, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Carson, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. 
 Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mrs. McBath, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr. 
Levin of Michigan, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. Schakowsky, 
 Mr. Evans, and Ms. Norton) submitted the following resolution; which 
          was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing that many Americans are not aware of the ways in which 
health care policy can affect every part of their lives and expressing 
support for the designation of the month of August as ``National Health 
                        Care Awareness Month''.

Whereas there are 32,800,000 people under the age of 65 who are uninsured;
Whereas approximately 4,400,000 children are uninsured;
Whereas individuals of color are at a higher risk of being uninsured than non-
        Hispanic White individuals;
Whereas 73.7 percent of uninsured adults said that they were uninsured because 
        the cost of coverage was too high;
Whereas in the first half of 2020, 43.4 percent of adults were inadequately 
        insured, which meant they were either uninsured, were insured but had 
        experienced a coverage gap in the last year, or were insured but had 
        such high costs relative to their income that they were effectively 
        underinsured;
Whereas 4,000,000 uninsured people could have health care if the Medicaid 
        expansion was adopted by the 12 remaining States;
Whereas there are approximately 12,100,000 uninsured people who are potential 
        marketplace shoppers, but are not enrolled in health care;
Whereas every person in the United States has health care issues of his or her 
        own or knows someone who needs health care in some form, and the need 
        for care in instances of disability, illness, or injury is universal and 
        nonpartisan;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic caused many individuals to be more cognizant of 
        the need for health care;
Whereas there is no month dedicated to educating Americans on all the ways 
        health care affects our national community and each individual life, 
        including social determinants of health care and health care equity, and 
        how to advocate for improvements to health care;
Whereas Congress constantly considers legislation related to health issues;
Whereas Americans need to be informed on the work their elected representatives 
        are doing to protect and expand health care for all; and
Whereas every person should have access to education around health care 
        literacy, be empowered to advocate for health care, and use his or her 
        voice to make a difference: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Health Care 
        Awareness Month'', which are to--
                    (A) bring awareness and attention to all the ways 
                in which health care affects our national community, 
                what work is being done to improve it, and how even a 
                single voice can make a difference;
                    (B) educate and empower Americans to advocate for 
                health care and use their voices to improve health care 
                for all;
                    (C) improve understandings of the work currently 
                being done in government to expand and protect health 
                care; and
                    (D) highlight, lift up, and amplify the efforts of 
                health care advocates to improve health care;
            (2) acknowledges the challenges facing all Americans when 
        they seek to obtain health care;
            (3) recognizes the importance of protecting and expanding 
        health care to cover all Americans regardless of race, color, 
        religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender 
        identity), or national origin; and
            (4) supports the designation of a ``National Health Care 
        Awareness Month''.
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