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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Health Care Disparities Task 1
Force. 2
WHEREAS, the United Health Foundation, in its 2023 America's Health Rankings 3
report, ranked Kentucky as the 41st overall heathiest state; and 4
WHEREAS, when compared the rest of the United States, Kentucky has the third 5
highest cancer mortality rate, fourth highest chronic lower respiratory disease mortality 6
rate, fifth highest percent of adults with diabetes, sixth highest diabetes mortality rate, 7
sixth highest percent of adults with high blood pressure, seventh highest rate of both heart 8
disease-related deaths and kidney disease related deaths, and the fourth shortest life 9
expectancy; and 10
WHEREAS, in 2022 Kentucky ranked 40th among the states in its primary care 11
physician workforce with fewer than 60 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents; 12
and 13
WHEREAS, roughly 40% of Kentuckians live in rural areas but only 17% of the 14
state's primary care physicians practice in rural areas; and 15
WHEREAS, nearly 50% of Kentucky's primary care physician workforce practices 16
in the state's two largest counties, and nearly 75% practice in urban counties; and 17
WHEREAS, according to the United States Health Resources and Services 18
Administration, 30 of Kentucky's rural counties and 13 urban counties have a shortage of 19
primary care physicians; and 20
WHEREAS, a number of factors have been shown to contribute to disparities in 21
health care outcomes including race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, access to care, 22
education, and geography; and 23
WHEREAS, a growing field of research shows that individuals who live in 24
socioeconomically disadvantaged or deprived communities, regardless of whether the 25
community is urban or rural, suffer higher rates of chronic disease, including diabetes, 26
cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions, utilize healthcare services more 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2284
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frequently, and experience higher rates of premature death; and 1
WHEREAS, the health-related social needs of individuals who reside in 2
socioeconomically disadvantaged or deprived rural and urban communities are often far 3
greater than the needs of individuals who reside in more prosperous communities; 4
NOW, THEREFORE, 5
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 6
Kentucky, the House of Representatives concurring therein: 7
Section 1. The Legislative Research Commission shall establish the Health 8
Care Disparities Task Force to study factors influencing disparities in health care access 9
and outcomes and to make recommendations to improve access to care and overall health 10
outcomes for all Kentuckians. 11
Section 2. The duties of the Health Care Disparities Task Force shall include 12
but are not limited to: 13
(1) Studying the various factors that contribute to disparities in health care access 14
and outcomes across the Commonwealth; 15
(2) Considering the health-related social needs of Kentuckians who live in 16
socioeconomically disadvantaged or deprived rural and urban communities; 17
(3) Identifying similarities and differences in the healthcare challenges faced by 18
Kentuckians in urban and rural communities; 19
(4) Assessing the effectiveness of current workforce development efforts to 20
address shortages in the healthcare industry; 21
(5) Reviewing the potential of broadband internet access and other technologies 22
that facilitate the wider deployment of telehealth services and the potential for such 23
technologies to improve access to care and health outcomes; and 24
(6) Developing recommendations for improving access to care, health outcomes, 25
and health equity in the Commonwealth. 26
Section 3. The Health Care Disparities Task Force shall be composed of the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2284
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following legislative members, with final membership of the task force subject to 1
consideration and approval by the Legislative Research Commission: 2
(1) Five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of 3
the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated by the Speaker of the 4
House of Representatives as co-chair of the task force; and 5
(2) Five members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of 6
whom shall be designated by the President of the Senate as co-chair of the task force. 7
Section 4. The Health Care Disparities Task Force shall meet at least monthly 8
during the 2024 Interim of the General Assembly. The task force shall submit its findings 9
and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the 10
appropriate committee or committees no later than December 1, 2024. 11
Section 5. The provisions of this Concurrent Resolution to the contrary 12
notwithstanding, the Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to 13
alternatively assign the issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or 14
subcommittee thereof, and to designate a study completion date. 15