Budget Amendment ID: FY2023-S4-411-R1

Redraft EHS 411

Establishing Chronic Kidney Disease Taskforce

Ms. Chandler and Messrs. Gomez, O'Connor and Moore moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding after section 70 the following section:-

“SECTION 70A. (a) The department of public health shall convene a task force to: (i) examine chronic kidney disease, transplantation, living and deceased kidney donation and the existing racial, ethnic, regional and socioeconomic disparities in the rates of impacted persons; (ii) examine ways to reduce the occurrence of chronic kidney disease by controlling the most common risk factors, including diabetes and hypertension, through early detection and prevention efforts at the community level and disease management efforts in the primary care setting; (iii) identify current barriers to adoption of best practices and potential policy options to address these barriers; (iv) develop a sustainable cost-effective plan for prevention, early screening, diagnosis and treatment of chronic kidney disease; (v) develop a sustainable plan to raise awareness about early detection and prevention while promoting health equity; (vi) work directly with policymakers, public health entities and educational institutions to create health education programs to reduce the burden of kidney disease.  which shall include an ongoing campaign that includes health education workshops and seminars, relevant research and preventive screenings and that utilizes social media campaigns and television and radio commercials; and (vii) examine the feasibility and advisability of an opt-out donor registry.

(b) The task force shall consist of: the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on public health, who shall serve as co-chairs; the commissioner of public health or a designee; the chief executive officer of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Inc. or a designee; the assistant secretary of MassHealth or a designee; and 12 persons to be appointed by the co-chairs, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the National Kidney Foundation serving New England, 3 of whom shall be kidney patients, 2 of whom shall be representatives of public health organizations with a focus on racial equity, 1 of whom shall represent a not-for-profit organ procurement organization, 1 of whom shall represent the nephrology department at Mass General Brigham Incorporated, 1 of whom shall represent the Joslin Diabetes Center, Inc., 1 of whom shall represent the Massachusetts Medical Society, 1 of whom shall represent the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, Inc. and 1 of whom shall represent Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc.

(c) The task force shall file a report on the results of its examination and any recommendations to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the joint committee on public health and the senate and house committees on ways and means not later than November 1, 2023.”