HB 634 -- HEPATITIS C EDUCATION PROGRAMS

CO-SPONSORS:  Kennedy, May (108)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Public
Health by a vote of 13 to 0.

This bill establishes a hepatitis C education program in the
Department of Health for the purposes of raising public
awareness and educating consumers.  The department is required
to identify resources for hepatitis C education, screening, and
treatment and to coordinate its efforts with existing
organizations with new programs to maximize outreach and access
to services.

Various strategies can be used by the department to promote the
hepatitis C program.  These include outreach efforts; forums;
targeting at-risk populations; informing policymakers;
identifying and disseminating the latest scientific information
on hepatitis C through local health agencies and Department of
Health offices, hospitals, schools, and other entities; and
establishing a state capacity to provide information and
referrals.

The Department of Health is required to use the guidelines
adopted by the National Institutes of Health on hepatitis C for
educating and training physicians, health professionals, and
human service providers on the latest scientific information on
diagnosis, treatment, and therapeutic decision making.  The
guidelines can include tracking and reporting of acute and
chronic cases of hepatitis C; cost-effective protocols which can
be used within the Department of Corrections for screening and
treating prisoners, educating correctional officers, and other
personnel; and protocols which promote public safety and the
protection of health care workers who contact hepatitis C
patients.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Cost to General Revenue of $174,147
to Unknown in FY 2000, $207,720 to Unknown in FY 2001, and
$213,667 to Unknown in FY 2002.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that this bill will strengthen the
capacity of the Department of Health to establish and implement
a hepatitis C program for the purposes of raising public
awareness and training health care professionals on detection,
diagnosing, and treating persons with hepatitis C.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Kennedy; Department
of Health; and Schering Plough External Affairs Incorporated.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Joseph Deering, Legislative Analyst

HB 634 -- Hepatitis C Education Program

Co-Sponsors:  Kennedy, May (108)

This bill establishes a hepatitis C education program in the
Department of Health for the purposes of raising public
awareness and educating consumers.  The department is required
to identify resources for hepatitis C education, screening, and
treatment and to coordinate its efforts with existing
organizations with new programs to maximize outreach and access
to services.

Various strategies can be used by the department to promote the
hepatitis C program which include outreach efforts; forums;
targeting at-risk populations; informing policymakers;
identifying and disseminating the latest scientific information
on hepatitis C through local health agencies and Department of
Health offices, hospitals, schools, and other entities; and
establishing a state capacity to provide information and
referrals.

The Department of Health is required to use the guidelines
adopted by the National Institutes of Health on hepatitis C for
educating and training physicians, health professionals, and
human service providers on the latest scientific information on
diagnosis, treatment, and therapeutic decision making.  The
guidelines can include tracking and reporting of acute and
chronic cases of hepatitis C; cost-effective protocols which can
be used within the Department of Corrections for screening and
treating prisoners, educating correctional officers, and other
personnel; and protocols which promote public safety and the
protection of health care workers who contact hepatitis C
patients.