Brown To Testify On Administration's Health Bill

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown is scheduled to speak to lawmakers about a bill designed to eliminate disparities in health care.

Brown will testify before state Senate and House committees this week on the Maryland Health Improvement and Disparities Reduction Act, a program that creates so-called Health Enterprise Zones.

According to a release from Brown's office, the zones will address racial, ethnic and geographic disparities in health care.

The program is also supposed to improve access to care in underserved communities and reduce health care costs.

The legislation is part of a series of health care-related bills introduced by Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration.

Brown is scheduled to speak to the House Health and Government Operations Committee on Tuesday and the Senate Finance and Budget and Taxation Committees on Wednesday.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)