HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES POLICY COMMITTEE

Chair: Rep. Joe Armstrong (TN)

1st Vice Chair: Rep. Brenda Clack (MI)

2nd Vice Chair: Sen. Usie Richards (VI)

Policy Staff: Kristin Cornelius

 

Committee Members State
Sen. Rodger Smitherman AL
Sen. Toni Harp CT
Rep. Sharon Beasley-Teague GA
Rep. Billy Mitchell GA
Rep. Howard A. Mosby GA
Rep. Nikki T. Randall GA
Sen. Donne E. Trotter IL
Rep. Karen Yarbrough IL
Rep. Charlie Brown IN
Rep. William A. Crawford IN
Rep. Carolene Mays IN
Rep. Gloria Fox MA
Del. Nathaniel T. Oaks MD
Del. Shirley Nathan Pulliam MD
Sen. Rita Heard Days MO
Rep. Thomas Wright NC
Sen. Connie Johnson OK
Rep. Anastasia Pittman OK
Rep. Jewell Williams PA
Sen. Kay Patterson SC
Rep. Ulysses Jones, Jr. TN

Policy News

The new and dangerous practice of cost-driven drug switching

Calvin Smyre, President, NBCSL
NNPA Guest Commentary
One of the critical issues discussed at the recent annual conference of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) was the relatively new and dangerous practice of cost-driven drug switching.
According to recent news reports, health insurers in an increasing number of states are paying physicians in cash and offering other incentives for them to switch the prescriptions of their patients to cheaper drugs without informing their patients.

Click here for the full story



MISSION STATEMENT

This committee addresses issues pertaining to health care, health education, research, health employment, and the promotion of good health care policy with a view toward the specific indications for the African American community.


RESOURCES AND HELPFUL LINKS

Minority Health Offices
Many states have offices of minority health. They have various titles; some are established as official minority health entities (such as an office, commission, council, center, branch, project or other unit) through either executive or legislative branch action. Other states have designated minority health contacts, but no official office or commission. NBCSL’s sister organization, the National Conference of State Legislators, provides a list of such offices and contacts for 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Virginia Transparency Resolution
House Joint Resolution No. 79
Requesting the Governor and the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to implement a policy barring physicians or other health care practitioners from prescribing an alternative brand of medication because of financial incentives.
Agreed to by the Virginia House of Delegates, January 17, 2008
Agreed to by the Virginia Senate, March 4, 2008