,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #hjfg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,august #ah1 #bjbj   
,mr4 ,beyer 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,sewell  
of ,alabama1 ,ms4 ,roybal-,allard1 and  
,mrs4 ,dingell7 introduced the following
 bill2 which was referred to the        
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce  ,a 
,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary of    
,health and ,human ,services1 acting    
through the ,director of the ,agency for
 ,healthcare ,research and ,quality1 to 
conduct or support research related to  
the ,united ,states health care system's
 response to ,,covid-#ai1 and for other 
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,addressing         
,,covid-#ai ,health ,disparities ,act4  
#b4 ,research on ,united ,states health 
care system's response to ,,covid-#ai   
7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of      
,health and ,human ,services1 acting    
through the ,director of the ,agency for
 ,healthcare ,research and ,quality1    
shall conduct or support research       

related to the ,united ,states health   
care system's response to ,,covid-#ai1  
including with respect to--  7#a7 the   
expansion and efficacy of telehealth    
use1 including-- 7,a7 identifying       
obstacles to access for veterans1 the   
elderly1 and low-income communities2    
7,b7 evaluating and identifying         
potential gaps or other weaknesses that 
bear on racial and ethnic disparities in
 ,,covid-#ai infection rates1 severity  
of symptoms1 and outcomes2  7,c7 gaps in
 compliance with health care privacy and
 security rules2 and  7,d7 evaluate     
whether access to1 or treatment         
associated with1 telemedicine and care  
delivered in different settings varied  
by racial and ethnic group2 and  7#b7   
conducting and support rapid turnaround 
research to--  7,a7 identify health care
 strategies that help mitigate racial   
and ethnic disparities in ,,covid-#ai   
infection rates1 severity of symptoms1  
and outcomes2  7,b7 identify health     
care-related factors contributing to    

such disparities racial and ethnic      
disparities in ,,covid-#ai infection    
rates1 hospitalizations1 severity of    
disease1 complications1 and outcomes2   
7,c7 provide recommendations on ensuring
 equity in access to other health care  
interventions1 such as flu and          
pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination1 that
 may be advanced to mitigate such       
disparities1 going forward2  7,d7       
identify deficiencies in the health care
 system's supply chain2 and  7,e7       
shortfalls in the health care delivery  
planning1 coordination1 and capacity1   
including health care delivery to       
vulnerable communities4  7b7 ,protocols 
on ,,covid-#ai disparities ,the         
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services1 acting through the ,director 
of the ,agency for ,healthcare ,research
 and ,quality1 shall coordinate         
cross-agency engagement with leaders    
from racial and ethnic minority groups  
and other populations disproportionately
 affected by ,,covid-#ai--  7#a7 to     

develop protocols that ensure these     
groups have timely access to safe and   
effective ,,covid-#ai vaccines2 and     
7#b7 to provide guidance on a           
,,covid-#ai vaccination strategy that   
takes into account racial and ethnic    
disparities in ,,covid-#ai infection    
rates1 severity of symptoms1 and health 
outcomes4  7c7 ,authorization of        
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated to carry out this       
section #aba1jjj1jjj1 to remain         
available until expended4