Porter efforts to expand Sickle Cell treatment services moving through Indiana General Assembly
INDIANAPOLIS – Efforts by State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) to drastically expand the scope of services for people suffering from sickle cell disease is gaining support in the 2019 Indiana General Assembly.
“This expanded effort recognizes the fact that sickle cell is not just a disease that strikes children, but adults as well,” Porter said. “There has been a gap in providing services for adults, and this session we are making an effort to expand awareness and improve the level of care that is available.”
Porter’s efforts are happening on two fronts.
House Bill 1354, which passed the House 97-0 and is currently awaiting a hearing in the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee, requires the Indiana Department of Health to expand the types of care available for people with sickle cell disease. It places a priority on establishing sickle cell disease centers in underserved areas of the state, giving financial assistance to low income residents for care, providing free counseling to residents and establishing an educational outreach program.
“This bill also provides a focus on educating medical providers that adults seeking pain medication for sickle cell are not seeking those medications for drug abuse purposes,” Porter said. “This is a major problem that only compounds and aggravates the suffering that those with sickle cell experience on a day-to-day basis.”
Porter also used his position as ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee to increase the line-item funding in the state health department’s budget devoted to Sickle Cell treatment and education by an extra $250,000 per year. That change was included in House Bill 1001, which contains the proposed biennial state budget.
“What is drastically needed is a greater commitment toward services that can help all Hoosiers deal with the ravages of sickle cell,” Porter said. “Many of the services now in place stop when a person turns 18 years of age, but the pain goes on. I am pleased that we are seeing some action taking place, but we need to do so much more. Through education and awareness, we can provide better help to more people, and that is a good thing.”
Joining Porter as co-authors of House Bill 1354 are State Reps. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis), Cindy Kirchhofer (R-Beech Grove), and Todd Huston (R-Fishers). Sponsoring the measure in the Indiana Senate are Sens. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso), Jean Breaux (D-Indianapolis), Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville), and Eddie Melton (D-Gary).