With diabetes such a growing concern in our county, the time has come for better legislation help the diabetes care system work better. The Senate passed S.920, the National Clinical Care Commission Act, on October 11, and it is now headed to the White House to be signed into law. The house passed the bill (H.R. 309) earlier this year. The sponsor of the bill in the Senate was Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and in the House the lead sponsor was Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX).
Cosponsor of the bill Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) said, “The passage of the National Clinical Care Commission Act will help the nation undertake a more proactive and innovative approach to diabetes, for which the United States spends $322 billion annually.”
This legislation will:
- Establish a national public/private commission to make recommendations to streamline federal investments on diabetes care
- Improve coordination and clinical care outcomes
- Improve federal response to diabetes and other metabolic and autoimmune diseases
The commission will join together clinical endocrinologists, specialists, health care professionals, patients, and representatives from federal agencies.
The goals of the commission are to:
- Identify where new approaches are needed to improve diabetes care
- Eliminate duplication
- Assist in coordination across all federal agencies
- Leverage federal investment in public health by evaluating best practices
- Evaluate the utilization and data collection mechanisms of existing programs
- Provide guidance on diabetes clinical care
The bill requires the commission to report its recommendations no later than three years after its first meeting, and the commission would end by 2021.
The next step is for the bill to go to the White House, where the president can veto it or sign it into law.
Related links
Senators Urge Medicare to Cover Vital Diabetes Care
Older Medicare Recipient Being Overtreated for Diabetes
How Medicare Can Help with Diabetes
