Summers diabetes awareness bill passes House unanimously, moves on to Senate for further action

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House members have approved legislation authored by State Representative Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis) that takes the next significant steps in her efforts to reduce the impact of diabetes in our state.

House Bill 1175 was created in order to establish workgroups that will create plans to help raise awareness of diabetes and prediabetes in Indiana. Many different groups will be in play, including the Indiana Department of Health, the Secretary of the Family and Social Services Administration, and the Superintendent of the Department of Education.

“As someone who suffers from diabetes and is making an active effort in my day-to-day life to be healthier, I think that raising awareness on this preventable disease is extremely important,” Rep Summers said. “I am glad that the rest of the House of Representatives is on my side.”

Proposed workgroups with specific duties will establish benchmarks for diabetes and prediabetes in Indiana, which would be solely based off of Indiana statistics. The workgroups would also identify barriers in the effective prevention of the disease and create methods of evidence-based screening.

In addition, the workgroups will estimate the annual direct and indirect state healthcare costs that have been attributed to diabetes and prediabetes.

“The epidemic of diabetes and prediabetes in our state is something that needs to be addressed, and the need for it has been here for a long time.” Rep. Summers commented. “We need to review the current technologies we have and find the best practices for diabetes and prediabetes screening, treatment and prevention, and identify what actions we need to take to reduce the morbidity and mortality of diabetes.”