PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2988
PRINTER'S NO. 3568
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
628
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, FRANKEL, McCLINTON, MILLARD, WEBSTER,
KULIK, SCHLOSSBERG, ISAACSON, RAVENSTAHL, HOHENSTEIN,
STEPHENS, RABB, HILL-EVANS, KENYATTA, JOHNSON-HARRELL,
KINSEY, SAMUELSON, YOUNGBLOOD, CIRESI, MADDEN, OTTEN, KAUFER,
HOWARD, KIM, D. MILLER, DeLUCA, MALAGARI AND RYAN,
DECEMBER 9, 2019
AS AMENDED, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, APRIL 14, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Congress of the United States to take action on
legislation that would expand Medicare coverage to include
hearing aids.; AND URGING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
TO APPROVE THE PROTECTING OUR PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN
FROM CHINA ACT, WHICH WOULD ENSURE THAT THE UNITED STATES IS
NOT DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN COUNTRIES FOR PHARMACEUTICAL
MANUFACTURING.
WHEREAS, Medicare is a Federal health insurance program for:
(1) Individuals 65 years of age or older.
(2) Individuals younger than 65 years of age who have
certain disabilities.
(3) Individuals of all ages who have end-stage renal
disease;
and
WHEREAS, Medicare consists of four parts:
(1) Medicare Part A, which provides hospital insurance.
(2) Medicare Part B, which provides medical insurance.
(3) Medicare Part C, which is also known as "Medicare
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Advantage" and is a type of Medicare health plan offered by a
private company that includes benefits from Medicare Parts A
and B and that usually includes benefits from Medicare Part
D.
(4) Medicare Part D, which provides prescription drug
coverage;
and
WHEREAS, The Medicare program was signed into law on July 30,
1965; and
WHEREAS, More than 2.5 million Americans received hospital
care covered by Medicare in the first six months of the program;
and
WHEREAS, More than 60 million Americans, including more than
2.7 million residents of this Commonwealth, were enrolled in
Medicare as of March 2019; and
WHEREAS, Medicare does not cover hearing exams, hearing aids
or exams for fitting hearing aids, and only Medicare Part B
covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams if ordered by a
doctor to determine the necessity of medical treatment; and
WHEREAS, There are three types of hearing loss:
(1) Conductive hearing loss, which involves the outer or
middle ear.
(2) Sensorineural hearing loss, which involves the inner
ear.
(3) Mixed hearing loss, which involves a combination of
conductive and sensorineural hearing loss;
and
WHEREAS, There are four degrees of hearing loss, including
mild, moderate, severe and profound hearing loss, all of which
can impact an individual's work, social life and personal life;
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and
WHEREAS, While hearing loss can occur at any age, it affects
an estimated 48 million Americans 12 years of age and older; and
WHEREAS, Hearing aids can greatly improve the quality of life
of an individual with hearing loss; and
WHEREAS, States cannot expand Medicare coverage to include
hearing aids as it is a Federal program; and
WHEREAS, Several pieces of legislation have been introduced
in the Congress of the United States that would expand Medicare
coverage to include hearing aids; therefore be it AND
WHEREAS, PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF AMERICANS IS THE
PRIMARY JOB OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AT ALL TIMES, BUT ESPECIALLY SO
DURING THE WORLDWIDE COVID-19 PANDEMIC; AND
WHEREAS, DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF LIFE-SUSTAINING DRUGS AND
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT WILL ENSURE THAT THESE VITAL PRODUCTS MEET THE
STRINGENT STANDARDS OF THE UNITED STATES; AND
WHEREAS, THE UNITED STATES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA)
HAS WARNED THAT SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS AT DRUG MANUFACTURING
FACILITIES OVERSEAS, PARTICULARLY IN CHINA AND INDIA, HAVE LED
TO TAINTED MEDICATION CIRCULATING IN THE UNITED STATES; AND
WHEREAS, THE FDA ESTIMATES THAT ROUGHLY 85% OF THE FACILITIES
THAT MANUFACTURE INGREDIENTS IN AMERICAN DRUGS ARE LOCATED
OVERSEAS; AND
WHEREAS, IN 2019, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS INGESTED A
CONTAMINANT FORMERLY USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF ROCKET FUEL
THROUGH TAINTED BLOOD PRESSURE DRUGS PRODUCED IN CHINA; AND
WHEREAS, AS MUCH AS 95% OF IBUPROFEN, 70% OF ACETAMINOPHEN
AND 45% OF PENICILLIN IS MADE IN CHINA; AND
WHEREAS, AN OVER-RELIANCE ON FOREIGN PRODUCTION OF
PHARMACEUTICALS AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF AMERICANS AND ALSO THE
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HEALTH OF AMERICA'S ECONOMY; AND
WHEREAS, THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT BE DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN
COUNTRIES TO SUPPLY VITAL DRUGS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC; AND
WHEREAS, LAWMAKERS ARE WORRIED ABOUT DRUG SHORTAGES AMID THE
COVID-19 OUTBREAK AND HAVE TAKEN ACTION TO AID AMERICAN
MANUFACTURERS IN RECLAIMING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTION; AND
WHEREAS, THE PROTECTING OUR PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN FROM
CHINA ACT WOULD PHASE IN A BAN ON UNITED STATES AGENCIES
PURCHASING PHARMACEUTICALS WITH ACTIVE INGREDIENTS PRODUCED IN
CHINA; AND
WHEREAS, THE BILL WOULD INCREASE TRANSPARENCY BY REQUIRING
THE FDA TO CREATE A REGISTRY OF ALL DRUGS AND BY REQUIRING DRUG
COMPANIES TO LIST ACTIVE INGREDIENTS AND THEIR COUNTRIES OF
ORIGIN ON LABELS; AND
WHEREAS, THE MEASURE WOULD PROVIDE CRUCIAL INCENTIVES TO RAMP
UP UNITED STATES MANUFACTURING OF PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS AND
MEDICAL DEVICES; THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to take action on legislation that would expand Medicare
to include coverage of hearing aids; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
RESOLVED, THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA URGE THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED
STATES TO APPROVE THE PROTECTING OUR PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN
FROM CHINA ACT, WHICH WOULD ENSURE THAT THE UNITED STATES IS NOT
DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN COUNTRIES FOR PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING;
AND BE IT FURTHER
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RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE TRANSMITTED TO
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE PRESIDING OFFICERS OF
EACH HOUSE OF CONGRESS AND TO EACH MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM
PENNSYLVANIA.
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