Resolution on Disease Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Exposed

The Resolution on Disease Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) was adopted by ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force at the Annual Meeting on July 20, 2006, approved by the Board of Directors August, 2006. ALEC has attempted to distance itself from this piece of legislation after the launch of ALECexposed.org in 2011, but it has done nothing to get it repealed in the states where it previously pushed for it to be made into law.

ALEC Resolution Text

WHEREAS, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also known as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States and is the only one of the top five causes whose prevalence and death rate are rising; and

WHEREAS, COPD is a chronic progressive disease which potentially impacts over 24 million Americans; and

WHEREAS, the annual cost to the nation for COPD in 2004 was estimated to be approximately $37 billion dollars; and

WHEREAS, early diagnosis and proper management of COPD can effectively reduce the overall financial burden of the illness within public programs such as Medicaid; and

WHEREAS, proper management of COPD can lead to improved quality of life and self sufficiency on the part of patients cared for within public programs.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the general assembly of the state of{insert state} hereby encourages the {insert name of state health and human services department} to consider of chronic disease management of COPD using available private sources of funding in an effort to reduce the financial and clinical burden of COPD illness upon the Medicaid program and the citizens of {insert state}.

Adopted by ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force at the Annual Meeting, July 20, 2006.

Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors August, 2006.