U. S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP): Health Care Bill Currently Being Considered by the HELP Committee

S.438 - Heart Disease Education, Analysis, Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the HEART for Women Act.

Sponsor: Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI)

Cosponsors: Senator Susan M. Collins (ME) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK)

Latest Major Action: Referred to Senate Committee on 3/2/2011
Current Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

The Heart Disease Education, Analysis, Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the HEART for Women Act was introduced to the HELP Committee on 3/2/2011. This bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to improve women’s health by prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases in women. This legislation would expand access to screening and lifestyle counseling for low-income and uninsured women, including those who may have recently lost their jobs and health benefits. The following are the recommendations of this bill:

The Comptroller General will be directed to report on whether the presentation of clinical study safety and effectiveness data by sex, age, and racial subgroups complies with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be required to submit a response to such report, including a corrective action plan as needed.
The Director of the Office of Women's Health of FDA will be required to report on the compliance of clinical studies of women's health with such FDA requirements, including requirements regarding: (1) the adequacy of representation of females, racial and ethnic minorities, and adults of all ages in approved clinical studies, and (2) the extent to which a summary of product safety and effectiveness data disaggregated by sex, age, and racial subgroup is available to the public.
The Director of the Office of Minority Health of FDA will be required to submit a report that includes such information with respect to clinical studies of minority health.
The Public Health Service Act will be amended to require the Secretary to report on the quality of, and access to, care for women with heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases and to include recommendations for eliminating disparities in, and improving the treatment of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases in women.
Reauthorization for a program to award grants for preventive health services and referrals for medical treatment for women through entities that are screening women for breast or cervical cancer.
The Secretary will be required to study the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on such services and make recommendations for improvement (U. S. Senator Lisa Murkowski for the State of Alaska, n.d.).

To view the entire text of the proposed legislation please click here: The Library of Congress

In a struggling economy that could force some women to make tough choices on healthcare, The Heart Disease Education, Analysis, Research, and Treatment (HEART) for Women Act would expand eligibility for funding to all 50 states for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s WISEWOMAN screening program for low-income and uninsured women. Currently the program is available in only 20 states. The legislation would educate both women and health care providers about the prevention and diagnosis of heart disease in women and the most effective treatments. It would also tighten Food and Drug Administration requirements for reporting sex and race-based data about new medicines and devices (American Heart Association, 2011b).

To view an additional video and information about the Heart Disease Education, Analysis, Research, and Treatment for Women Act click here

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Alaska Senator and HELP Committee member, Lisa Murkowski (AK) co-sponsored the proposed Heart Disease Education, Analysis, Research, and Treatment for Women Act, also referred to as the HEART for Women Act. The following statements by Senator Murkowski illustrate her support of this bill and why she will vote yes on this piece of legislation: "cardiovascular disease, often called the “silent killer”, takes the life of one woman nearly every minute....The HEART for Women Act uses a multi-pronged approach – arming medical providers with the safest and most effective cardiovascular treatments for women and giving more women access to the WISEWOMAN program that provides free heart disease and stroke prevention screening to low-income and uninsured women. Passage of this legislation will ensure that providers have greater access to life-saving drugs and screening services to prevent the rise of cardiovascular disease in women.” (American Heart Association, 2011b, p. 1).

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This graduate nursing student completely agrees with and would vote in support of the proposed Heart Disease Education, Analysis, Research, and Treatment (HEART) for Women Act. According to the American Heart Association (2011a), heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. "Cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims the lives of 455,000 women each year, or approximately one death each minute", and too many of our daughters, mothers, and grandmothers are falling victim to this terrible disease. (American Heart Association, 2011b, p. 1). The majority of women and physicians are unfamiliar with the symptoms, diagnoses, and dangers of heart disease in women. In fact, "90 percent of primary care physicians are unaware that heart disease kills more women than men each year" (American Heart Association, 2011a, p. 1). In addition, although more women than men die from cardiovascular disease annually, 43 percent of women are still unaware that this deadly disease is the leading cause of death in women. "The HEART for Women Act will help educate women and their doctors, increase access to screenings for women, and expand gender specific analysis and research, so we are better equipped to fight this disease and save lives.” (American Heart Association, 2011b).

By providing increased access to high-quality screenings for cardiovascular disease, this proposed legislation will help women across the nation secure an early diagnosis and receive more timely and effective treatment. Also, by equipping women with the knowledge needed to make healthier lifestyle choices and adjustments, they will be better able to prevent and treat already existing heart disease. Because this piece of legislation would educate both women and health care providers about this deadly disease, this graduate nursing student believes that the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease among women in the United States will greatly improve.