March 21, 2006 CONTACT: Susan Straub
Harper Angel gains funding
in Senate budget
for osteoporosis prevention-education
program
FRANKFORT -- Senator Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville, today amended the Senate budget proposal to include funding for a statewide osteoporosis prevention and education program.
It was the only budget amendment to gain approval that was sponsored by a Democrat. The Senate budget provides $90,000 to hire a nurse and provide education materials.
Also today, the House passed Senate Bill 202, Harper Angel's bill creating the program.
"I think it has won approval because it is a problem that affects so many people and it is entirely preventable," Harper Angel said. Osteoporosis affects 700,000 Kentuckians. It is four times more likely to strike women.
Osteoporosis is a silent disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine, and wrist.
Kentuckians' bad health habits -- like lack of exercise, bad diet and smoking -- increase their frequency of osteoporosis. Harper Angel's bill aims at changing those habits to save money and improve the quality of life for thousands of citizens.
Thirty-three states have prevention and education programs that are similar to the program Harper Angel proposed in Senate Bill 202. "The best defense is building strong bones during childhood and adolescence," Harper Angel said. "This bill envisions education programs that will target young girls to improve bone health in the long-term."
Harper Angel said education can also help older victims. "Once bone density has decreased, physical activity can slow bone loss or help build new bone," she said. "Victims of osteoporosis need to know there are steps they can take to avoid the most serious consequences of this disease."
Education and prevention can also save health care dollars, Harper Angel said. "This is a relatively expensive disease. Medicaid served almost 11,500 Kentucky patients with osteoporosis in 2005 at a price of $209 million." Medicaid is the state/federal health care program for the poor.
Senate Bill 202 passed the Senate on March 7.
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Note: For a high-res. JPEG photo file of Senator Harper Angel, please log on to www.lrc.state.ky.us/pubinfo/ephoto.htm.