U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, announced recently that she has joined with Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) in introducing bipartisan legislation, designed to help Americans better obtain and understand health care information. The “National Health Literacy Act” will benefit the estimated 100 million American adults who have low health literacy. drafted the legislation.
While many believe that health care consumers should be able to choose their doctor, hospital, or insurance provider, little attention is paid to whether consumers have the necessary information to make wise health care decisions or to understand the information they have received.
Among other provisions, the legislation would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish within the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality a Health Literacy Implementation Center. This Center would gather and disseminate resources and best practices, sponsor demonstration projects, coordinate research, and set national health literacy strategies and goals. It would also establish state–based health literacy resource centers to identify and increase the understanding of health literacy challenges in the applicable state or region, coordinate public and private efforts to deliver health literacy services, and provide technical and policy assistance to State and local governments.
“Health literacy is a critical issue for many Americans, especially older Americans,” noted Senator Collins. “This legislation is an important step toward ensuring that everyone has the knowledge and information they need to make the best decisions for their health.”