Bill Text: FL S1898 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [SPSC]
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2010-04-30 - Died in Committee on Health Regulation [S1898 Detail]
Download: Florida-2010-S1898-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2010 SB 1898 By Senator Crist 12-01863-10 20101898__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to chronic obstructive pulmonary 3 disease; creating the “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary 4 Disease (COPD) Prevention and Education Act”; 5 providing purposes; requiring the Department of Health 6 to establish a COPD prevention, education, screening, 7 and diagnosis program; requiring the department to 8 coordinate a statewide summit on COPD; providing for 9 the department to employ public awareness strategies 10 regarding COPD; providing powers and duties of the 11 State Surgeon General with respect to securing funding 12 to implement the act; providing an effective date. 13 14 WHEREAS, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is 15 currently the fourth leading cause of death in the United States 16 and is projected to be the third leading cause of death by 2020, 17 and 18 WHEREAS, the annual cost to the nation for COPD in 2007 was 19 estimated to be approximately $42.6 billion, including $26.7 20 billion for direct health care expenditures, $8 billion for 21 indirect morbidity costs, and $7.9 billion for indirect 22 mortality costs, and 23 WHEREAS, in 2008 COPD affected over 1.5 million individuals 24 in Florida and, according to the United States Centers for 25 Disease Control and Prevention, Florida had 4,436 deaths 26 attributable to COPD in 2005, and 27 WHEREAS, tobacco use is a major risk factor for COPD and 28 was the cause of 89 percent of COPD deaths in 2005, and 29 WHEREAS, since 1992, the highest rate of increase was for 30 individuals between 40 to 49 years of age, and 31 WHEREAS, this disease has a significant impact on the 32 quality of life of the individual who experiences symptoms and 33 the resulting disability and the person’s family members and 34 caregivers, and 35 WHEREAS, in 2007, more than 63,000 individuals were 36 hospitalized for treatment of COPD and asthma, resulting in 37 hospital charges totaling more than $1.3 billion in Florida, and 38 WHEREAS, health care providers are challenged to deliver 39 effective interventions for the prevention and reduction of 40 COPD-related disabilities, and 41 WHEREAS, although public information about COPD and 42 programs that can assist in the early diagnosis and treatment of 43 COPD is available, that information is not widely disseminated 44 to diverse populations, and 45 WHEREAS, the COPD Foundation and the Centers for Disease 46 Control and Prevention are leaders in the development of state 47 and national public health strategies to respond to this 48 challenge, and 49 WHEREAS, educating the public and the health care community 50 throughout the state about this devastating disease is of 51 paramount importance, in the public interest, and for the 52 benefit of all residents of the state, and 53 WHEREAS, on August 12, 2009, the Governor and Cabinet of 54 the State of Florida urged academic, governmental, and advocacy 55 organizations to promote education, increase awareness, improve 56 data surveillance systems, and promote early detection of COPD 57 throughout the state, NOW, THEREFORE, 58 59 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 60 61 Section 1. Short title.—This act may be cited as the 62 “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Prevention and 63 Education Act.” 64 Section 2. Purposes.—The purposes of this act are to: 65 (1) Create and foster a statewide program that promotes 66 public awareness and increases knowledge concerning the causes 67 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the importance 68 of early diagnosis, effective prevention strategies, and disease 69 management. 70 (2) Promote the education of health care professionals 71 regarding COPD. 72 (3) Develop knowledge and enhance understanding of COPD by 73 disseminating educational materials and information on research 74 results, services provided, and strategies of prevention and 75 education to patients, health care professionals, and the 76 public. 77 (4) Establish a solid scientific base of knowledge 78 concerning the prevention of COPD through surveillance, 79 epidemiology, prevention, and research. 80 (5) Use educational and training resources and services 81 developed by organizations with appropriate expertise and 82 knowledge of COPD. 83 (6) Evaluate the need for improving the quality and 84 accessibility of existing community-based COPD services. 85 (7) Address the under-diagnosis of and promote better data 86 surveillance regarding incidences of COPD in the state. 87 (8) Implement and coordinate statewide and local COPD 88 screening and detection programs. 89 (9) Promote programs on smoking cessation. 90 (10) Provide lasting improvement in the quality of life 91 while containing health care costs. 92 Section 3. COPD prevention, education, screening, and 93 diagnosis program.— 94 (1) To the extent that funds are made available 95 specifically for this purpose, the Department of Health shall 96 establish, promote, and maintain a COPD prevention, education, 97 screening, and detection program to raise public awareness, 98 educate consumers, and educate and train health care 99 professionals, teachers, and human services providers as 100 provided in this section. 101 (2) The department shall conduct a needs assessment to 102 identify: 103 (a) National and state epidemiological and other research 104 conducted on COPD. 105 (b) The level of public and professional awareness 106 regarding COPD. 107 (c) The needs of people with COPD and the needs of their 108 families and caregivers. 109 (d) The educational support needed by health care 110 providers, including physicians, nurses, managed care 111 organizations, and other health care providers. 112 (e) The services required by persons with COPD. 113 (f) The existence of COPD screening and detection programs, 114 treatment, and disease management programs. 115 Section 4. Annual statewide summit on COPD.—The department 116 shall coordinate an annual statewide summit on COPD to 117 collaborate on and address COPD issues within the state. 118 Membership shall include, but is not limited to, persons with 119 COPD, public health educators, medical experts on COPD, 120 providers of COPD care, persons knowledgeable in health 121 promotion and education, and representatives of state and 122 national COPD organizations. 123 Section 5. Public awareness strategies.—The department 124 shall use, but is not limited to using, strategies consistent 125 with the state and national COPD action plans and existing state 126 planning efforts to raise public awareness and knowledge on the 127 causes and nature of COPD, personal risk factors, the value of 128 prevention, screening, detection, and early intervention, and 129 options for treating the disease. 130 Section 6. Funding.— 131 (1) The State Surgeon General may accept grants, services, 132 and property from the Federal Government, foundations, 133 organizations, medical schools, and other entities as may be 134 available to implement this act. 135 (2) The State Surgeon General shall seek any federal waiver 136 or waivers that may be necessary to maximize funds from the 137 Federal Government to implement this act. 138 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.