Senate Bill sb1926c1

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 1926

    By the Committee on Health Care; and Senator Margolis





    587-2174-05

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to inflammatory bowel disease;

  3         creating the Inflammatory Bowel Disease

  4         Research Act; requiring the Department of

  5         Health to conduct an inflammatory bowel disease

  6         epidemiology study with the University of

  7         Florida College of Public Health and Health

  8         Professions; requiring the Agency for Health

  9         Care Administration to conduct a chronic

10         disease study on the coverage standards

11         provided by Medicaid for inflammatory bowel

12         disease therapies; providing for membership in

13         a study group; requiring reports to the

14         Governor and Legislature; providing an

15         effective date.

16  

17         WHEREAS, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease,

18  and ulcerative colitis (collectively known as IBD) are chronic

19  disorders of the gastrointestinal tract which afflict

20  approximately 47,000 Floridians, and

21         WHEREAS, inflammatory bowel disease can cause abdominal

22  pain, fever, and rectal bleeding and complications may include

23  arthritis, osteoporosis, anemia, liver disease, and colon

24  cancer, and

25         WHEREAS, inflammatory bowel disease represents a major

26  cause of morbidity from digestive illness and, although it is

27  not fatal, inflammatory bowel disease is often devastating,

28  NOW, THEREFORE,

29  

30  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 1926
    587-2174-05




 1         Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Inflammatory

 2  Bowel Disease Research Act."

 3         Section 2.  Studies; reports.--

 4         (1)  The Department of Health, in conjunction with the

 5  University of Florida College of Public Health and Health

 6  Professions, shall conduct a study of inflammatory bowel

 7  disease epidemiology. The goal of the study is to gain a

 8  better understanding of the prevalence of the disease in the

 9  state, the unique demographic characteristics of the patient

10  population, and the role that environmental factors and family

11  history play in the development of the disease. The Department

12  of Health is authorized to convene a study group for the

13  purpose of conducting an epidemiological study of inflammatory

14  bowel disease in order to collect demographic information on

15  the characteristics of the patient population affected by this

16  disease. The study group shall consist of a representative of

17  the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, a

18  representative from one or more of the major universities

19  researching this disease, a representative from the Agency for

20  Health Care Administration, a representative from the

21  Department of Health, including department epidemiologists, a

22  representative from medical providers, one member of the House

23  of Representatives, one member of the Senate, and any other

24  individual the department considers appropriate to participate

25  in the study group. The department shall submit a report of

26  its findings to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and

27  the Speaker of the House of Representatives by February 1,

28  2006.

29         (2)  The Agency for Health Care Administration shall

30  conduct a chronic disease study on Medicaid coverage for

31  therapies required by patients with inflammatory bowel

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    Florida Senate - 2005                           CS for SB 1926
    587-2174-05




 1  disease, such as ostomy supplies, parenteral nutrition,

 2  enteral nutrition, medically necessary food products, and

 3  therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration for

 4  Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The study will take

 5  into consideration the appropriate outpatient or home health

 6  care settings, identify gaps in Medicaid coverage which impact

 7  the health and quality of life for inflammatory bowel disease

 8  patients, and empower the inflammatory bowel disease community

 9  to pursue appropriate changes in the Medicaid reimbursement

10  policy. The agency shall submit a report of its findings to

11  the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of

12  the House of Representatives by February 1, 2006.

13         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

14  

15          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
16                             SB 1926

17                                 

18  The Committee Substitute differs from SB 1926 in the following
    ways:
19  
    The University of Florida College of Public Health and Health
20  Professions will work with the Department of Health to conduct
    the epidemiological study of inflammatory bowel disease.
21  
    The Department of Health may convene a study group for the
22  epidemiological study. The membership of the study group is
    specified.
23  
    The reports by the Department of Health and the Agency for
24  Health Care Administration that were due on January 1, 2006,
    will be due February 1, 2006.
25  

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