Chapter 232
2011 -- H 5173 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 07/09/11
A N A C T
RELATING TO
HEALTH AND SAFETY -- WOMEN'S CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENING AND RISK REDUCTION PILOT
PROGRAM
Introduced
By: Representatives Naughton, Messier,
Date Introduced: January 27, 2011
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
WHEREAS, Heart disease,
stroke and other forms of cardiovascular disease are the
number one cause of death for women each year; and
WHEREAS, Cardiovascular disease kills more women annually than the
next five (5)
leading causes of death combined, which includes all forms of
cancer; and
WHEREAS, Despite the statistics, many patients and health care
providers alike tend to
think of heart disease as a disease that primarily afflicts
men; and
WHEREAS, In February
2004, the American Heart Association began the vigorous "Go
Red for Women" public awareness campaign and a
survey conducted in 2007 by the American
Heart Association found that forty-three percent (43%)
of women are still not aware that heart
disease is the leading cause of death among women; and
WHEREAS, The WISEWOMEN
program, administered by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, provides low-income,
underinsured, or uninsured women between forty
(40) and sixty-four (64)
years of age with chronic disease risk factor screening, lifestyle
intervention, and referral services in an effort to prevent
cardiovascular disease and promote
healthy lifestyles; and
WHEREAS, WISEWOMEN
programs provide standard preventive services, including
blood pressure and cholesterol testing and lifestyle
programs targeting poor nutrition, physical
inactivity, and smoking; and
WHEREAS,
due to lack of federal funding; and
WHEREAS, The best chance for women in this state to reduce their
mortality rates due to
cardiovascular disease is through education and prevention.
SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled
"HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby
amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER
86
WOMEN'S
CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENING AND RISK REDUCTION PILOT PROGRAM
23-86-1. Women's
cardiovascular screening and risk reduction pilot program. – (a)
The department of health (hereinafter, "the
department") shall develop a cardiovascular disease
screening and lifestyle intervention pilot program at one site
in one of
cities for low-income, underinsured and uninsured women
between forty (40) and sixty-four (64)
years of age, inclusive, at risk for heart disease,
diabetes and stroke, namely
(b) The department
shall develop the program based on the federal WISEWOMEN
program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. The pilot program
shall employ specified measures to gauge the impact and
outcome of the program. These
measures may include the number of women served, the number
who receive lifestyle
interventions, the number of follow-up visits per woman, an
evaluation of the use of progress
markers to reduce risk factors, and a research and evaluation
component.
(c) The department
shall prepare an annual report and submit it to the legislature by
January 31 of each year
summarizing the scope and reach of the pilot program. The final report
shall include a fiscal analysis and a recommendation
outlining the benefits and costs of expanding
the pilot program throughout the state after the program
has been in existence for three (3) years.
The pilot program shall expire July 1, 2014.
(d) Implementation of
the Women's Cardiovascular screening and risk
reduction pilot
program shall be subject to appropriation.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC00703/SUB A
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