House File 196 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY RANTS Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act providing for the establishment of a hepatitis C awareness 2 program. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1767YH 81 5 rn/pj/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.20 HEPATITIS C AWARENESS 1 2 PROGRAM == VETERANS == VACCINATIONS. 1 3 1. The department shall establish and administer a 1 4 hepatitis C awareness program. The goal of the program shall 1 5 be to distribute information to veterans regarding the higher 1 6 incidence of hepatitis C exposure and infection among 1 7 veterans, the dangers presented by the disease, and contacts 1 8 for additional information and referrals. For purposes of 1 9 this section, "veteran" means an individual meeting the 1 10 definition contained in section 35.1. 1 11 2. The information to be distributed shall be determined 1 12 by the department by rule, in consultation with the commission 1 13 of veterans affairs. The information shall, at a minimum, 1 14 contain statements indicating that: 1 15 a. The federal department of veterans affairs estimates a 1 16 hepatitis C infection rate in veterans more than three times 1 17 higher than for the general population. 1 18 b. The infection rate for Vietnam veterans is estimated to 1 19 be even higher than for other veterans groups. 1 20 c. The disease is caused by a bloodborne virus readily 1 21 transmitted during combat and combat=related emergency medical 1 22 treatment. 1 23 d. Many veterans currently carrying the virus were 1 24 infected prior to the development of medical screening tests. 1 25 e. The hepatitis C virus often resolves into a chronic 1 26 infection without symptoms for ten to thirty years before 1 27 signs of resultant liver disease appear. 1 28 f. This unusually long latency period makes it difficult 1 29 to connect current symptoms with an infection that may have 1 30 actually been contracted during military service decades ago. 1 31 The information shall also present treatment options and 1 32 shall specify a procedure to be followed for veterans desiring 1 33 a medical consultation for screening and treatment purposes. 1 34 The department shall cooperate with the state commission of 1 35 veterans affairs regarding distribution of the information to 2 1 the veterans home, the county commissions of veteran affairs, 2 2 veterans hospitals, and other appropriate points of 2 3 distribution. 2 4 Sec. 2. REPORT. The department shall submit a report to 2 5 the members of the general assembly by January 1, 2007, 2 6 regarding the development and distribution of the information 2 7 required by this Act and any resulting impact. 2 8 EXPLANATION 2 9 This bill provides for the establishment of a hepatitis C 2 10 awareness program by the Iowa department of public health. 2 11 The bill provides that the goal of the program shall be to 2 12 distribute information to veterans regarding the higher 2 13 incidence of hepatitis C exposure and infection among 2 14 veterans, the dangers presented by the disease, and contacts 2 15 for additional information and referrals. 2 16 The bill provides that the information to be distributed 2 17 shall be determined by the department by rule, in consultation 2 18 with the state commission of veterans affairs. The bill 2 19 provides that information shall at a minimum contain 2 20 statements indicating that estimates place hepatitis C 2 21 infection rates in veterans more than three times higher than 2 22 for the general population and higher still for Vietnam 2 23 veterans, that the disease is readily transmitted during 2 24 combat and combat=related emergency medical treatment, that 2 25 many veterans were infected prior to the development of 2 26 medical screening tests, that the virus often resolves into a 2 27 chronic infection without symptoms for 10 to 30 years before 2 28 signs of resultant liver disease appear, and that this can 2 29 make it difficult to connect current symptoms with an 2 30 infection that may have actually been contracted during 2 31 military service decades ago. The bill provides that the 2 32 information shall also present treatment options and shall 2 33 specify a procedure to be followed for veterans desiring a 2 34 medical consultation for screening and treatment purposes. 2 35 The bill provides that the department shall cooperate with 3 1 the state commission of veterans affairs the distribution of 3 2 the information to the veterans home, the county commissions 3 3 on veteran affairs, veterans hospitals, and other distribution 3 4 points. 3 5 The bill provides that the department shall submit a report 3 6 to the members of the general assembly by January 1, 2007, 3 7 regarding the distribution and impact of the information. 3 8 LSB 1767YH 81 3 9 rn:rj/pj/5.1