Bill Overview
Title: Preventive Care Awareness Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires activities to promote the use of preventive health care services with a particular focus on decreasing disparities in accessing preventive services for individuals in rural and underserved communities who delayed or forewent recommended preventive services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must carry out a campaign to increase public awareness about and use of recommended preventive services. HHS must also convene a task force to develop recommendations regarding preventive services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics. The recommendations must address, among other considerations, reducing disparities in health outcomes and identifying barriers to implementing the recommendations. Additionally, the bill allows states, Indian tribes, and territories to use a portion of their Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant funding for FY2023 and FY2024 on activities to increase patient uptake of recommended preventive services.
Sponsors: Rep. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE-At Large]
Target Audience
Population: People in rural and underserved communities globally
Estimated Size: 45000000
- The bill targets preventive health care services, which are utilized globally by populations in different regions, particularly those with organized health systems.
- Rural and underserved communities often face challenges accessing health care services, and globally, a significant portion of populations lives in such areas.
- Disparities in accessing preventive services are prevalent in many countries, especially those with less developed health care infrastructures.
- The campaign and task force recommendations could provide models and strategies that may be adopted by other countries facing similar challenges.
Reasoning
- The Preventive Care Awareness Act of 2022 aims to address disparities in access to preventive health services in rural and underserved areas, which involves about 45,000,000 people in the US.
- The budget is $150 million for the first year and $300 million over 10 years, which limits the scale of initiatives and necessitates strategic allocation of resources to maximize impact.
- Many factors affect individuals' wellbeing, including location, existing health conditions, education level, and access to healthcare facilities.
- The policy will largely impact those who have historically avoided or delayed preventive care services due to accessibility issues, resulting in a positive shift in their wellbeing.
- However, some individuals in urban or adequately served areas might not be directly affected by the policy and may report no change in wellbeing.
Simulated Interviews
Retired (Appalachian region, Kentucky)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the policy is beneficial. Many of us here in rural areas don't have easy access to healthcare.
- The policy might make it easier for me to get regular check-ups, which are crucial at my age.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Farmer (Rural Texas)
Age: 36 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It might finally be easier for folks like me to catch any health issues early, without huge bills.
- Understanding preventive care could improve our life expectancy and quality.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
School teacher (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 45 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With better awareness and resources, it'll be easier to get routine screenings without long waits.
- This initiative should lead to improved health outcomes in our community over time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Tech worker (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy isn't likely to impact me directly since I already have access to preventive care services.
- I do see how it can benefit others in less secure situations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Craftsman (Navajo Nation, Arizona)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've always preferred traditional medicine, but having access to preventive services gives me more options.
- This policy could help reduce the high disease rates in our community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired nurse (Miami, Florida)
Age: 72 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While the policy seems positive, I don't foresee any change for me since I already have access to services.
- Hopefully, others in less fortunate areas will benefit significantly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Entrepreneur (San Francisco, California)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- For people like me, this policy may not change much since we already have excellent access to healthcare.
- I think it's a great initiative to level the playing ground in health access.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Waitress (Detroit, Michigan)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increasing awareness and access sounds perfect for people like me who are struggling to cover healthcare costs.
- It should help me get preventive tests done more routinely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Mechanic (Rural Tennessee)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- After the struggle during COVID, it's great to know health services will be easier to obtain.
- Preventive care could help catch health issues early.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Part-time retail worker (Birmingham, Alabama)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could make a significant difference for my family and me in managing health proactively.
- I hope they provide guidance that's easy to understand and act upon.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $150000000 (Low: $125000000, High: $200000000)
Year 2: $150000000 (Low: $125000000, High: $200000000)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Long-term effects on public health, potentially reducing national healthcare expenditures.
- Initial investment costs versus anticipated savings from reduced emergency care and chronic disease management.
- Potential for similar models to be adopted at state or local levels beyond the federal initiative.