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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED
January 24, 2008
S. 775
S. Printed 1/24/08--S.
Read the first time May 22, 2007.
TO ESTABLISH THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS HEALTHCARE ACCESS STUDY COMMITTEE, TO PROVIDE FOR ITS MEMBERS, POWERS, AND DUTIES, AND TO DIRECT THE COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS IN THIS STATE AND REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY JANUARY 1, 2009, AT WHICH TIME THE STUDY COMMITTEE IS ABOLISHED.
Whereas, the identification and planning of systems to provide service delivery for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) is vital; and
Whereas, multiple sclerosis is a chronic, unpredictable neurological disease that affects the central nervous system, is varied in frequency and severity of symptoms, and has no cure; and
Whereas, approximately 400,000 Americans acknowledge having MS, and every week about 200 people are diagnosed with the disease. In that there is currently no formal method of tracking the incidence of multiple sclerosis in South Carolina, it is estimated there are more than 3,800 South Carolinians living with MS; and
Whereas, though there is no cure for MS, early diagnosis and specialized treatment are critical to alleviating the symptoms and controlling the progression of MS and improving the function and quality of life of individuals with MS; and
Whereas, although there is a comprehensive MS center affiliated with the Medical University of South Carolina and the Charleston Veteran Affairs Medical Center, South Carolina currently does not have the manpower to meet the substantial needs of patients with MS in the State, and additional MS clinics or centers in other locations, or an expansion of the MUSC MS Center, are needed in order to more adequately meet the needs of individuals with MS; and
Whereas, the average waiting time for a patient to be seen by an MS specialist in South Carolina is six to nine months; and
Whereas, many South Carolina residents must travel great distances, often out of State, in order to obtain specialized health care for the treatment of MS. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1.(A) There is created the Multiple Sclerosis Healthcare Access Study Committee. This committee shall review the complex needs of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) in South Carolina and the available resources to meet these needs and shall develop a statewide comprehensive plan for the delivery of coordinated services to persons with MS.
(B) The committee is comprised of
(1) the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, or a designee, who shall serve as chairman;
(2) the head of the Department of Neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina, or a designee;
(3) the head of the Department of Neurology at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, or a designee;
(4) the Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina Medical Association, or a designee;
(5) the President of the South Carolina Hospital Association, or a designee;
(6) an MS nurse specialist upon recommendation by the South Carolina Nurses Association;
(7) a representative of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society;
(8) four persons living with MS, including one from the Low Country, one from the Pee Dee Area, one from the Midlands, and one from the Upstate, upon recommendation of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Mid-Atlantic Chapter.
(C) A vacancy on the committee must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(D) Members of the committee shall serve without mileage, per diem, and subsistence.
(E) The Department of Health and Human Services shall provide and coordinate staffing for the study committee.
SECTION 2. (A) The committee shall study access to healthcare services for persons living with MS in this State and develop a specific plan for a coordinated approach to service delivery for persons with MS, using the resources of both the public and private sectors. The plan must include, but is not limited to, an evaluation of how the treatment needs of persons with MS can adequately be met in terms of the level of care and specialization available; the geographic location of services; and the availability of specialized services.
(B) The committee shall seek consultation from other relevant service providers, including, but not limited to, social work, physical and occupational therapy, and speech and vocational rehabilitation.
(C) In carrying out its responsibilities under this joint resolution, the chairman may appoint subcommittees as he or she considers appropriate. The committee and subcommittees may utilize the knowledge and expertise of any individual in another state agency, group, or association.
(D) The committee shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly before January 1, 2009, at which time the committee is abolished.
SECTION 3. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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