1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to health; establishing an osteoporosis 
  1.3             prevention and treatment program; requiring an 
  1.4             osteoporosis assessment; appropriating money; 
  1.5             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.6             chapter 144. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.] 
  1.9      Osteoporosis, a disease characterized by a reduction in 
  1.10  bone density accompanied by increasing porosity and brittleness, 
  1.11  constitutes a hazard to the health and welfare of the people of 
  1.12  the state.  It is therefore in the public interest that there be 
  1.13  increased public awareness and knowledge about the prevention, 
  1.14  detection, and treatment of osteoporosis, a condition that is 
  1.15  100 percent preventable. 
  1.16     Sec. 2.  [144.670] [OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT 
  1.17  PROGRAM.] 
  1.18     Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] The commissioner of health shall 
  1.19  establish a statewide osteoporosis prevention and treatment 
  1.20  program.  The purpose of the program is to promote public 
  1.21  awareness of and knowledge about the causes of osteoporosis, 
  1.22  personal risk factors, the value of prevention and early 
  1.23  detection, and the options available for treatment. 
  1.24     Subd. 2.  [ASSESSMENT.] The commissioner shall conduct an 
  1.25  assessment of the problem of osteoporosis.  The assessment shall 
  1.26  be conducted by departmental employees, to the extent that it is 
  2.1   the most cost-effective method.  The assessment shall identify: 
  2.2      (1) the number of persons in the state afflicted with 
  2.3   osteoporosis and the groups which appear to be most at risk for 
  2.4   this disease; 
  2.5      (2) the level of public and professional awareness about 
  2.6   osteoporosis; 
  2.7      (3) the needs of osteoporosis patients, their families, and 
  2.8   caregivers; 
  2.9      (4) the needs of health care providers, including 
  2.10  physicians, nurses, managed care organizations, and other health 
  2.11  care providers, in treating and preventing osteoporosis; 
  2.12     (5) the services available to osteoporosis patients, 
  2.13  including the existence of treatment programs, support groups, 
  2.14  and rehabilitation services; 
  2.15     (6) the number and location of bone density testing 
  2.16  equipment in the state; and 
  2.17     (7) available technical assistance, educational materials, 
  2.18  and programs nationwide. 
  2.19     Subd. 3.  [PROGRAM DESIGN.] Based on the assessment 
  2.20  conducted under subdivision 2, the commissioner shall establish, 
  2.21  maintain, and promote an osteoporosis prevention and treatment 
  2.22  program that: 
  2.23     (1) designs and implements strategies for raising public 
  2.24  awareness on the causes and nature of osteoporosis, personal 
  2.25  risk factors, value of prevention and early detection, and 
  2.26  options for diagnosing and treating the disease; 
  2.27     (2) promotes and facilitates educational programs for 
  2.28  physicians and other health professionals on current scientific 
  2.29  and medical information on osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis 
  2.30  and treatment, including guidelines for detecting and treating 
  2.31  the disease in special populations, risks and benefits of 
  2.32  medication, and research advances; and 
  2.33     (3) develops the capacity for community-based programs 
  2.34  related to osteoporosis. 
  2.35     Subd. 4.  [GRANTS; GIFTS.] The commissioner may apply for 
  2.36  and receive grants and gifts from any governmental agency, 
  3.1   private entity, or other person for the purposes of this section.
  3.2      Subd. 5.  [REPORT.] The commissioner shall report to the 
  3.3   legislature no later than January 31, 1996, on the status of the 
  3.4   program implemented under this section.  The commissioner shall 
  3.5   report to the legislature no later than January 31, 1997, on the 
  3.6   accomplishments of the program implemented under this section. 
  3.7      Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.8      $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.9   commissioner of health for the purposes of section 2 for the 
  3.10  biennium ending June 30, 1997.