[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 44 (Wednesday, April 20, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1920
 
              INTRODUCATION OF DIABETES HEALTH CARE REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Darden). Under a previous order of the 
House and without objection, the gentlewoman from Oregon [Ms. Furse] is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. FURSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to a 
resolution I have introduced, House Concurrent Resolution 223. It 
addresses a serious health care problem which affects millions of 
Americans, and that problem is diabetes.
  It is a debilitating disease. It affects more than 14 million 
citizens in our Nation. I would recommend that every Member of this 
House get a copy of a new publication called ``Reducing the Burden of 
Diabetes'' which the American Diabetes Association has produced. It 
outlines the scope of the disease in every State in our Nation, and the 
numbers are truly staggering.
  Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death by disease in the 
United States, taking the lives of more than 160,000 people annually, 
and it should be noted it affects in greater numbers the elderly, 
native American, Hispanic, and African-American communities. In sum, it 
costs nearly $92 billion annually to fight this disease. One way the 
impact of diabetes-related complications can be diminished is through 
the stabilization of blood glucose levels, and in order to accomplish 
this stabilization and prevent complications, people with insulin-
treated diabetes require four or more injections of insulin every day 
as well as frequent testing of blood-sugar levels.
  In order to assure that the 10 percent of people with insulin-treated 
diabetes--approximately 1.5 million Americans--have access to syringes 
to avoid the disease's debilitating complications, and to save our 
health care system billions of dollars, I have introduced House 
Concurrent Resolution 223. This resolution expresses the sense of 
Congress that any health care reform legislation that is enacted should 
provide for the coverage of syringes for individuals who have been 
diagnosed with diabetes and who require the administration of insulin. 
It is critical that syringes are covered in any health care reform 
legislation to ensure that people with diabetes have access to the 
medical equipment that not only ensures their survival but prevents 
future complications.
  Health care reform must not in any way take away this critical tool 
for self-management of diabetes. Let us make sure that when we pass 
health care reform it meets the unique needs of those millions of 
Americans who suffer from diabetes.
  I urge you to join me and cosponsor the diabetes health care reform 
resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 223.

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