BROOKLYN - U.S. Rep. Edolphus (“Ed”) Towns (NY-10) released the following statement in honor of National Minority Health Awareness Month:

“During National Minority Health Awareness Month, we educate communities about the plight and state of minority health in this country. Chronic diseases like diabetes, HIV/AIDS, heart disease, and cancer disproportionately affect African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and other minority populations.  This month, we focus on preventative solutions to eradicate these health disparities and continue our commitment to improving our nation’s health services.

“Having long supported comprehensive health care reform, I am proud of the remarkable health insurance reform package this Congress passed, ‘Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,’ which President Obama signed into law last month. This new law will alleviate escalating health care costs by increasing access to affordable insurance choices; preventing denials of care and coverage for pre-existing conditions; strengthening Medicare; and lowering prescription drug costs. There is no doubt this historic health care overhaul will positively change the lives of countless minorities in this country by making preventative health care a priority and an accessible option. To help my constituents understand the new law, I am hosting a health care town hall meeting on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at the NYU Polytechnic Institute, where health policy experts will walk residents, step by step, through the new law.   

“I salute the work of health providers, scientists, public health workers, and community leaders who are helping to solve some of the unique and pressing health challenges of minorities. This month and all year round, I express my full support for their tireless efforts and encourage others to join their cause to make sure health disparities in our country are a thing of the past.”

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