House Amendment 1033 PAG LIN 1 1 Amend House File 374 as follows: 1 2 #1. Page 1, by inserting after line 35 the 1 3 following: 1 4 <Sec. . NEW SECTION. 135.20 HEPATITIS C 1 5 AWARENESS PROGRAM == VETERANS == VACCINATIONS. 1 6 1. The department shall establish and administer a 1 7 hepatitis C awareness program. The goal of the 1 8 program shall be to distribute information to veterans 1 9 regarding the higher incidence of hepatitis C exposure 1 10 and infection among veterans, the dangers presented by 1 11 the disease, and contacts for additional information 1 12 and referrals. For purposes of this section, 1 13 "veteran" means an individual meeting the definition 1 14 contained in section 35.1. 1 15 2. The information to be distributed shall be 1 16 determined by the department by rule, in consultation 1 17 with the commission of veterans affairs. The 1 18 information shall, at a minimum, contain statements 1 19 indicating that: 1 20 a. The federal department of veterans affairs 1 21 estimates a hepatitis C infection rate in veterans 1 22 more than three times higher than for the general 1 23 population. 1 24 b. The infection rate for Vietnam veterans is 1 25 estimated to be even higher than for other veterans 1 26 groups. 1 27 c. The disease is caused by a bloodborne virus 1 28 readily transmitted during combat and combat=related 1 29 emergency medical treatment. 1 30 d. Many veterans currently carrying the virus were 1 31 infected prior to the development of medical screening 1 32 tests. 1 33 e. The hepatitis C virus often resolves into a 1 34 chronic infection without symptoms for ten to thirty 1 35 years before signs of resultant liver disease appear. 1 36 f. This unusually long latency period makes it 1 37 difficult to connect current symptoms with an 1 38 infection that may have actually been contracted 1 39 during military service decades ago. 1 40 The information shall also present treatment 1 41 options and shall specify a procedure to be followed 1 42 for veterans desiring a medical consultation for 1 43 screening and treatment purposes. The department 1 44 shall cooperate with the state commission of veterans 1 45 affairs regarding distribution of the information to 1 46 the veterans home, the county commissions of veteran 1 47 affairs, veterans hospitals, and other appropriate 1 48 points of distribution.> 1 49 #2. Page 2, by inserting after line 16 the 1 50 following: 2 1 <Sec. . VETERANS HEPATITIS C AWARENESS PROGRAM 2 2 REPORT. The Iowa department of public health shall 2 3 submit a report to the members of the general assembly 2 4 by January 1, 2007, regarding the development and 2 5 distribution of the information required by the 2 6 section of this Act enacting section 135.20 and any 2 7 resulting impact.> 2 8 #3. Title page, line 4, by inserting after the 2 9 word <veterans,> the following: <establishing a 2 10 hepatitis C awareness program for veterans,>. 2 11 #4. By renumbering as necessary. 2 12 2 13 2 14 2 15 GREINER of Washington 2 16 HF 374.201 81 2 17 ec/sh/1415 -1-