Shaheen-Collins Bipartisan Legislation to Establish National Diabetes Commission Signed Into Law
**The National Clinical Care Commission Care Act was first introduced in 2012 and will support better coordination of resources for research on diabetes, which impacts 1 in 9 Americans**
(Washington DC) – Today, the National Clinical Care Commission Act, bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME), co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, was signed into law by President Trump. The bill establishes a national commission of healthcare experts to advance diabetes care and prevention. It brings together public and private sector experts, clinical endocrinologists and other physicians and representatives from the relevant federal agencies most involved in diabetes research and treatment to focus on improving diabetes education, care delivery and patient outcomes. The bill passed the Senate in September and the House of Representatives in October.
“There are millions of Americans living with diabetes, and even more who are at risk for developing diabetes without early intervention. That’s why this bipartisan legislation is so important and will play a significant role in empowering our government with the information it needs to prioritize diabetes education, research, prevention and treatment,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m glad to see this bill signed into law. I will continue to push for legislative action that supports medical investments to hopefully find a cure for this terrible disease.”
“Far too many individuals and families are familiar with the devastating human and economic toll that diabetes has on people of every age, race, and nationality. If present trends continue, one in three adults will have diabetes in 2050,” said Senator Collins. “I am pleased that the President has signed our bipartisan legislation into law, which will help foster public and private coordination in diabetes research, create treatments to develop a strategic plan for improving care for people with diabetes, and change the trajectory of this disease.”
Specifically, the National Clinical Care Commission Act will improve the quality of diabetes care by:
- Identifying gaps where new approaches are needed to improve diabetes care and management;
- Eliminating duplication and conflicting efforts and assisting in coordination of all federal agencies;
- Leveraging the significant federal investment in research by evaluating best practices and other resources and tools for diabetes healthcare professionals and patients;
- Evaluating the utilization and data collection mechanisms of existing programs; and
- Providing guidance on diabetes clinical care to maximize the effectiveness of our strong federal investment on diabetes research.
Nearly 26 million Americans are afflicted with the disease and another 79 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that is known to progress to diabetes without early intervention, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC estimates that if current trends continue, one in three Americans will have diabetes by 2050. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and can lead to many other chronic diseases and conditions, such as blindness and kidney failure. As one of the most expensive chronic diseases, diabetes costs the American healthcare system billions of dollars each year. Overall, one in every ten healthcare dollars is spent on diabetes and its complications, and one in every three Medicare dollars is spent on the condition.
As co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, Shaheen and Collins have worked together to increase awareness of the threats posed by diabetes, invest in research, and improve access to treatment options.
