Senate Bill S2288

                                BILL NUMBER:S2288

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct the commissioner of health to report upon the high
incidence of asthma in the state

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Directs the Commissioner of health to study and report on the very
high incidence of asthma in New York State.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

The bill directs the commissioner of health, within 90 days of passage
of this legislation, to commence a study, examine and evaluate the
alarming and disproportionate incidence of asthma in New York State.
The following factors need to be evaluated: income level; race;
gender; age group; housing accommodations: single family dwelling, two
to six family dwelling or housing project; residence proximity to
industrial sites. Within one year of the effective date of this act,
the commissioner shall report to the governor and the legislature his
or her findings and any recommendations he or she deem necessary.

JUSTIFICATION:

              

Almost one in 13 school children suffer from asthma making it the
leading serious chronic illness in children and the leading cause of
hospitalizations for children under the age of 15. More than 4.8
million children nationwide suffer from asthma and more than 5,000
Americans die from the illness each year. It is estimated that
asthmatic children lose 10 million school days each year.

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation has recently
identified over 50,000 school-aged children with asthma. The NYC
Department of Health has reported that in 2004, there were 10,603
emergency room admissions for pediatric asthma cases. In the entire
state there are over 1.6 million New Yorkers suffering from asthma of
which more than 380,000 are children. This health problem is serious
and growing. In addition, the health costs related to hospitalizations
for this disease are tremendous. The New York State Department of
Health estimates that cost at over $380 million annually, of which
$132 million is the Medicaid share of that expense.

From rural areas to small cities the asthma epidemic is impacting
children adversely. In the Bronx County alone there were 10,135
hospital cases of asthma in children younger than 17 reported in 2002,
at a rate of more than 902 per 100,000. That is comparing to an
average rate of approximately 150 per 100,000 for the rest of the
state. Poor children under the age of 4 are four times more likely to
be hospitalized for asthma than children in high-income areas. Asthma
is an illness that is far too common among our poorest citizens. In
New York City, children are almost twice as likely to be hospitalized
as children nationwide.


Rural areas such as Fulton County have an asthma hospitalization rate
of 407 per 100,000 children under 17 years of age. Other parts of New
York State are also severely impacted.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
asthma's impact on health, quality of life, and the economy are
substantial. The CDC has also found that the rates of severe asthma
continue to disproportionately affect poor and minority populations.
For example African-Americans visit emergency departments, are
hospitalized and die due to asthma at rates three times higher than
rates for white Americans. This legislation will direct New York State
to report on the increasing rate of asthma in New York and to report
their findings and recommendation on reducing those rates within one
year.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2013-2014 S.421:

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Not applicable.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.