Senate Bill 2882

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE ACT; TO AID HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD) BY URGING PROVIDERS TO COUNSEL PATIENTS AT RISK FOR CKD; TO REQUIRE LABORATORIES TO REPORT THE GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE (GFR) ON ANY SERUM CREATININE TEST ORDERED BY A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH TO PROMULGATE NECESSARY REGULATIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Chronic Kidney Disease Act."

SECTION 2. (1) (a) The Mississippi State Department of Health shall annually notify health care professionals who assume responsibility for patients with diabetes, hypertension, or a family history of kidney disease, about the importance of screening patients for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) via routine laboratory assessment of kidney function.

(b) As ordered by a health care professional, clinical laboratories, when testing a specimen to determine a patient's serum creatinine, shall also calculate and report to the health care professional the patient's Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) using such information as provided by the health care professional or patient, as applicable.

(c) The Mississippi State Department of Health shall annually notify health care professionals that early identification of individuals at risk for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) can reduce the serious long-term effects of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) on the affected population, thereby potentially lowering the significant economic burden on Mississippi's health care system while improving the quality of life for the citizens of Mississippi.

(2) The Mississippi State Board of Health shall promulgate such rules as are necessary to implement and administer this act.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2006.