Washington, DC – Congressman Jefferson this week has introduced four bills designed to help restore an accessible, thriving health care system to New Orleans and other communities recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The “Expanding, Rebuilding and Improving Access to Qualified Health Care Professionals in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Affected Areas Act of 2007” (HR 1599) has several elements.  First, it would establish a health care workforce scholarship, grant and loan repayment program.  Second, it would create a cultural competence training program for health care and emergency relief providers.  And finally, it would diversify the health care workforce by increasing the number of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The “Tele-health and Medically Underserved and Advancement Act of 2007” (HR 1601) would increase the types of originating tele-health sites.  It would strengthen tele-health services in rural and underserved urban areas.  And it would establish a joint working group on tele-health to identify, monitor and coordinate federal tele-health projects.

The “Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Environmental Justice Act of 2007”  (HR 1602) requires the heads of federal agencies to make achieving environmental justice part of their missions by identifying and addressing disproportionately high and adverse effects of their programs on minority, low-income populations in the area affected by Katrina and Rita.  It would establish the “Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice.”  And it would establish the “Federal Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Environmental Justice Advisory Committee” which would provide independent advice to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

The “Emergency Coverage during an Incident of National Significance Act of 2007” (HR 1603) would extend federal employee health insurance to certain individuals affected by an incident of national significance- such as Katrina.  This bill would also make health benefit plans available to individuals who- at the time of the incident- were residing or were employed in the area under certain conditions.   

Congressman Jefferson said, “If they are eventually passed, the bills I introduced this week would significantly help revitalize New Orleans’ ailing health care industry.  A great percentage of health care professionals left the city after Katrina, and these measures would help lure some of them as well as new professionals back to New Orleans.  We need more medical scholarships available.  We need a more cost-effective way of handling constituents’ medical records.  And we definitely need more regulations to prevent discriminatory practices in recovery efforts for victims of nationally recognized disasters.” 

“After facing two historical catastrophic events, we must establish a preventive mechanism and make sure that health care for all Americans will be sufficient during and following incidents of national significance”, Jefferson said.