[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 15, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S247-S248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Kennedy):
S. 3198. A bill to authorize a pilot program to expand and intensify
surveillance of self-harm in partnership with State and local public
health departments, to establish a grant program to provide self-harm
and suicide prevention services in hospital emergency departments, and
for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, as we all know too well rates of suicide
have risen to epidemic levels in the United States, with suicide now
the 10th leading cause of death in the country. On average, there are
129 suicides every day, roughly one every 11 minutes--a staggering
statistic. That is why I am pleased to be introducing bipartisan,
bicameral legislation to provide new resources to help turn the tide on
this increasingly dire situation. I am joined in introducing the
Suicide Prevention Act by Senator Kennedy, with Representatives Chris
Stewart and Doris Matsui introducing companion legislation in the House
of Representatives.
This legislation would authorize new funding for the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, to partner with the State and
local health departments to improve surveillance of suicide attempts
and other incidences of self-harm. Current data collection efforts
regarding suicide are often years after the fact, which limits the
ability of State and local health departments, as well as community
organizations, to recognize trends early and intervene. This new effort
would enhance data collection and sharing, as appropriate, in real time
to help save lives.
Recognizing that emergency healthcare providers are at the frontlines
of responding to suicide attempts, this bill would authorize funding
for a grant program within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, SAMHSA, to fund suicide prevention programs in
emergency departments, ED, to better train staff in suicide prevention
strategies, screen at-risk patients, and refer patients to appropriate
followup care. The legislation would also require SAMHSA to develop
best practices for such programs, so that healthcare providers are able
to provide their patients with the best possible care and advice.
Approximately 37 percent of individuals without a previous history of
mental health or substance abuse who die by suicide make an ED visit
within the year before their death. According to the Suicide Prevention
Resource Center, the risk of suicide is greatest within a month of
discharge from the hospital.
In 2017, 47,173 Americans lost their lives to suicide. That same
year, there were 1.4 million suicide attempts. We must renew our
efforts on suicide prevention. In 2004, working with my colleague
Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon, we authored the Garrett Lee Smith
Memorial Act. This law authorized new youth suicide prevention programs
in honor of Senator Smith's, son, who tragically died by suicide just a
couple of weeks short of his 22nd birthday. For over a decade, these
programs have funded college campus, State, and Tribal efforts to
prevent suicide among our youth and young adult populations, who are
particularly at risk of suicide. During this time, youth suicide rates
have decreased significantly in my home State of Rhode Island, however,
nationwide, suicide rates have skyrocketed over the last decade. That
is why we must renew our attention and focus on suicide prevention,
including by increasing funding for and access to the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline. This effort is critical to ensuring that when
people in crisis call looking for help, someone will be there on the
other end of the line to offer hope and counseling. I have also worked
with my colleagues Senators Gardner, Baldwin, and Moran on legislation
to designate the Lifeline as an easy to remember, 3-digit number, 9-8-
8. This common sense legislation would make it easier for people across
the country to access the Lifeline when they really need it. I am glad
the Federal Communications Commission, FCC, taking steps to make the 9-
8-8 number a reality, which makes increasing funding for the Lifeline
all the more vital.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Senator Kennedy
once again by introducing the Suicide Prevention Act today. I look
forward to working together with our other sponsors and colleagues, as
well as stakeholders supporting these efforts, to pass this critical
legislation.
[[Page S248]]
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By Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. Carper, Mr. Cramer, Ms. Smith, Ms.
McSally, and Ms. Sinema):
S. 3200. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit
high deductible health plans to provide chronic disease prevention
services to plan enrollees prior to satisfying their plan deductible;
to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 3200
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Chronic Disease Management
Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION.
(a) In General.--Section 223(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by redesignating subparagraph (D) as
subparagraph (E) and by inserting after subparagraph (C) the
following new subparagraph:
``(D) Preventive care services and items for chronic
conditions.--For purposes of subparagraph (C), preventive
care shall include any service or item used to treat an
individual with a chronic condition if--
``(i) such service or item is low-cost,
``(ii) in regards to such service or item, there is medical
evidence supporting high cost efficiency of preventing
exacerbation of the chronic condition or the development of a
secondary condition, and
``(iii) there is a strong likelihood, documented by
clinical evidence, that with respect to the class of
individuals utilizing such service or item, the specific
service or use of the item will prevent the exacerbation of
the chronic condition or the development of a secondary
condition that requires significantly higher cost
treatments.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to coverage for months beginning after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
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