1 | A bill to be entitled |
2 | An act relating to Crohn's and Colitis disease research; |
3 | creating the Crohn's and Colitis Disease Research Act; |
4 | requiring the Department of Health to conduct an |
5 | inflammatory bowel disease epidemiology study with the |
6 | University of Florida College of Public Health and Health |
7 | Professions; requiring the Agency for Health Care |
8 | Administration to conduct a chronic disease study on the |
9 | coverage standards provided by Medicaid for inflammatory |
10 | bowel disease therapies; providing for membership in a |
11 | study group; requiring reports to the Governor and |
12 | Legislature; providing an effective date. |
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14 | WHEREAS, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and |
15 | ulcerative colitis (collectively known as IBD) are chronic |
16 | disorders of the gastrointestinal tract which afflict |
17 | approximately 47,000 Floridians, and |
18 | WHEREAS, inflammatory bowel disease can cause abdominal |
19 | pain, fever, and rectal bleeding and complications may include |
20 | arthritis, osteoporosis, anemia, liver disease, and colon |
21 | cancer, and |
22 | WHEREAS, inflammatory bowel disease represents a major |
23 | cause of morbidity from digestive illness and, although it is |
24 | not fatal, inflammatory bowel disease is often devastating, NOW, |
25 | THEREFORE, |
26 |
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27 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
28 |
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29 | Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Crohn's and |
30 | Colitis Disease Research Act." |
31 | Section 2. Studies; reports.-- |
32 | (1) The Department of Health, in conjunction with the |
33 | University of Florida College of Public Health and Health |
34 | Professions, shall conduct an inflammatory bowel disease |
35 | epidemiology study. The goal of the study is to gain a better |
36 | understanding of the prevalence of the disease in the state, the |
37 | unique demographic characteristics of the patient population, |
38 | and the role that environmental factors and family history play |
39 | in the development of the disease. The Department of Health is |
40 | authorized to convene a study group for the purpose of |
41 | conducting an epidemiological study of inflammatory bowel |
42 | disease in order to collect demographic information on the |
43 | characteristics of the patient population affected by this |
44 | disease. The study group shall consist of a representative of |
45 | the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, a representative |
46 | from one or more of the major universities researching this |
47 | disease, a representative from the Agency for Health Care |
48 | Administration, a representative from the Department of Health, |
49 | including department epidemiologists, a representative from |
50 | medical providers, one member of the House of Representatives, |
51 | one member of the Senate, and any other individual the |
52 | department considers appropriate to participate in the study |
53 | group. The department shall submit a report of its findings to |
54 | the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of |
55 | the House of Representatives by February 1, 2006. |
56 | (2) The Agency for Health Care Administration shall |
57 | conduct a chronic disease study on Medicaid coverage for |
58 | therapies required by patients with inflammatory bowel disease, |
59 | such as ostomy supplies, parenteral nutrition, enteral |
60 | nutrition, medically necessary food products, and therapies |
61 | approved by the Food and Drug Administration for Crohn's disease |
62 | and ulcerative colitis. The study will take into consideration |
63 | the appropriate outpatient or home health care settings, |
64 | identify gaps in Medicaid coverage that impact the health and |
65 | quality of life for inflammatory bowel disease patients, and |
66 | empower the inflammatory bowel disease community to pursue |
67 | appropriate changes in the Medicaid reimbursement policy. The |
68 | agency shall submit a report of its findings to the Governor, |
69 | the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of |
70 | Representatives by February 1, 2006. |
71 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |