BILL REQ. #:  S-4132.2 

Read first time 01/31/12.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     AN ACT Relating to establishing a diabetes action team public-private partnership; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature recognizes that the human and financial impact of diabetes on the state, its budget, and those living with the disease is significant. Today, more than five hundred thousand of our citizens live with diabetes and over one million six hundred thousand live with prediabetes. Yet, by 2025 it is projected that more than nine hundred seventy-five thousand people will live with diabetes and more than two million thirty-six thousand people will be living with prediabetes. These same estimates also suggest that the disease has a five billion dollar impact on the state economy this year which will increase to about nine billion six hundred thousand dollars in 2025. Yes, half of these costs are attributed to inpatient hospital based care directly attributable to preventable and manageable complications associated with diabetes including heart attacks, strokes, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-leg amputations. Families also experience financial challenges due to diabetes given estimates documenting the per capita costs of the disease equaling about twelve thousand dollars per year. Two out of three people living with diabetes will die from a heart attack or stroke. Those living with diabetes run a risk of a heart attack or stroke that is four times greater than that for those without diabetes. It is expected that the number of people experiencing blindness and vision trouble due to diabetes in Washington will more than double to one hundred twenty-two thousand six hundred in 2025 from fifty-nine thousand one hundred today. The legislature also recognizes the devastating impact diabetes and its complications place on families, as well as the disproportionate impact of the disease on communities of color and those living near or below the poverty level, newborns of mothers with gestational diabetes, children living with type 1 diabetes, and those with type 2 diabetes. The legislature further recognizes the damaging effects of not properly preparing the state for the current and future impact of the reach and scope of diabetes given its financial and human impact on families, state-run health care financing and insurance programs, private employer-financed insurance programs, and the potential for a lower standard of living for Washington families impacted by diabetes.
     (2) The legislature finds that diabetes has the potential to challenge all health services and financing programs serving the needs of people living with and without the disease. The legislature further finds that the purpose of the state's health, insurance, and disability systems is to help those with or at risk for diabetes to acquire the skills and knowledge they will need to prevent or manage diabetes via proven medical evidence.
     (3) The legislature further finds that responsible citizenship includes an ability to make wise decisions when it comes to managing or preventing diabetes. The legislature further finds that focusing attention on the impact of diabetes on our health care, insurance, and health financing systems is imperative to prepare these systems for the future impact of the disease and its complications.
     (4) The legislature intends to assist families impacted by diabetes, employers, and government programs serving their interests in developing reasonable strategies to contain the impact of diabetes today and tomorrow. As a means to achieve this goal, the legislature intends to assess the reach, scope, and impact of diabetes on Washington's residents, taxpayers, and employers by creating a public-private partnership. This public-private partnership called the diabetes action team will aim to generate important information on how diabetes is impacting families and the state today while aiming to prepare for the future reach and scope of diabetes of all forms including type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and prediabetes.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) A diabetes action team public-private partnership is established to assess and determine the reach and impact of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and prediabetes on the state. The diabetes action team must consist of legislative, agency, and community membership.
     (a) The legislative members must be: Two members of the senate, one of whom is a member of the senate health and long-term care committee, whom the president of the senate shall appoint; and two members of the house of representatives, one of whom is a member of the house committee on health care and wellness, whom the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint.
     (b) The agency members must be: One member from and appointed by the office of the health care authority; one member from and appointed by the department of social and health services; one member from and appointed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction; one member from and appointed by the department of labor and industries; and one member from and appointed by the department of health.
     (c) The governor shall appoint the community members as follows: Two members from the private medical insurance industry; two members from the hospital community that have expertise in the topic of diabetes; four members from the pharmaceutical medical device and biotechnology industry; two members from the physician community with an expertise in epidemiological data specific to diabetes; two members from the allied health professionals with an expertise in diabetes care and management; one member representing diabetes patients; and three members representing payors or employers based in Washington with a workforce impacted by diabetes.
     (d) The members of the partnership shall select the chair of the partnership.
     (2) To the extent funds are appropriated or are available for this purpose, technical and logistical support may be provided by the state government offices and entities named to the partnership, the organizations composing the partnership, and other participants in the diabetes action team public-private partnership. The office of the health care authority shall compile the initial list of members and convene the first meeting of the partnership.
     (3) The members of the partnership must be appointed by August 1, 2012.
     (4) Legislative members of the partnership must receive per diem and travel under RCW 44.04.120.
     (5) Travel and other expenses of members of the partnership must be provided by the agency, association, or organization that member represents.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) By December 1, 2012, the diabetes action team public-private partnership shall finalize a set of charges and action steps for the partnership to generate data and information related to the impact of diabetes on health insurance-related programs, health insurance financing efforts, employers, and public health efforts in Washington.
     (2) By April 1, 2013, the diabetes action team public-private partnership shall identify the following:
     (a) The financial impact and reach diabetes of all types is having on the entity, the state, and localities. Items included in this assessment must include the number of lives with diabetes impacted or covered by the programs overseen by the state and whenever possible the individual entities participating in the partnership, the number of lives with diabetes and family members impacted by prevention and diabetes control programs implemented and overseen by the state and whenever possible the individual entities participating in the partnership, the financial toll or impact diabetes and its complications places on the state overseen programs participating in the partnership, and whenever possible the individual entities participating in the partnership and the financial toll or impact diabetes and its complications places on the programs participating in the partnership and whenever possible the individual entities participating in the partnership in comparison to other chronic diseases and conditions;
     (b) An assessment of the benefits of implemented programs and activities overseen by the state and whenever possible the individual entities participating in the partnership aimed at controlling diabetes and preventing the disease. This assessment must also document the amount and source for any funding directed to agencies or entities from the Washington legislature for programs and activities aimed at reaching those with diabetes;
     (c) A description of the level of coordination existing between the entities participating in the partnership overseen by the state on activities, programmatic activities, and messaging on managing, treating, or preventing all forms of diabetes and its complications; and
     (d) A description of the level of coordination existing between the state and nongovernmental entities participating in the partnership on activities, programmatic activities, and messaging on managing, treating, or preventing all forms of diabetes and its complications.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   The requirements of sections 1 through 3 of this act are limited to the diabetes information, data, initiatives, and programs within each agency overseen by the state participating in the partnership before the effective date of this section, unless there is unobligated funding for diabetes in each agency that may be used for new research, data collection, reporting, or other requirements of sections 1 through 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A preliminary report of the partnership's findings must be presented to the governor and relevant senate and house committees focused on health and health financing matters by July 1, 2013. A final report of the partnership must be submitted to the same parties by December 1, 2013.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   The diabetes action team public-private partnership account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. The purpose of the account is to support the diabetes action team public-private partnership and to identify the impact of diabetes of all forms on the state. Revenues to the account may include gifts from the private sector, federal funds, and any appropriations made by the legislature or other sources. Grants and their administration must be paid from the account. Only the director of the health care authority or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   This act expires January 1, 2014.