SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1810        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Sal N. DiDomenico

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing an amputation prevention task force.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1810        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act establishing an amputation prevention task force.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of health and human services shall establish an Amputation Prevention Task Force. 

The secretary or designee will chair the task force and will make recommendations for task force membership. Members not serving in the General Court will be appointed by the governor. The governor shall ensure that appointments provide diversity of gender, race, and geographical areas.

The task force shall consist of the following members:

Commissioner of the department of public health or a designee, Assistant Secretary for MassHealth or a designee, 2 members from the Massachusetts House of Representatives as appointed by the Speaker of the House, 2 members from the Massachusetts Senate as appointed by the Senate President, 1 licensed endocrinologist, 1 licensed diabetes nurse educator, 1 vascular surgeon who has expertise in amputation prevention, 1 medical doctor or midlevel practitioner who has expertise in amputation prevention, 1 podiatrist with expertise in treating diabetic foot ulcers, 1 podiatrist or vascular surgeon with the veterans administration, 1 public health provider, 1 representative of the Massachusetts Senior Care Association, 1 member of the public, 1 representative of the American Diabetes Association, and the task force may add members as it sees fit by a majority vote of the task force members.

Section 2. Duties.

The task force shall: (1) advise the secretary and other state agencies on issues related to amputations with a focus on amputation prevention as it relates to diabetic foot ulcers and peripheral arterial disease; (2) provide a systematic and cohesive approach toward reducing amputations, including increasing public awareness; (3) recommend mechanisms to encourage greater cooperation among stakeholders to address amputations in Massachusetts; (4) make recommendations and identify policy solutions to the state legislature to ensure access to treatments to prevent amputations including: (a) Coverage policies as it relates to treatment of diabetic foot ulcers including topical oxygen therapy; (b) Policies to address timely and equitable access to evidence-supported medical tools, technologies, and services to prevent avoidable amputations; (c) Improve and incentivize quality care to avoid amputations whenever possible;  (d) Policies to promote collaboration; (5) The task force shall publish a report and present it to the Governor, the clerks of the House of Representatives and Senate, and the chairs of the Joint Committees on Public Health, Health Care Financing, and Financial Services by no later than September 1 of the year following passage into law.