The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Appropriations
BILL: CS/SB 806
INTRODUCER: Appropriations Committee (Recommended by Appropriations Subcommittee on Health
and Human Services); and Senators Perry and Stewart
SUBJECT: Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia-related Disorders Awareness
DATE: February 11, 2022
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Looke Brown HP Favorable
2. Howard Money AHS Recommend: Fav/CS
3. Howard Sadberry AP Fav/CS
Please see Section IX. for Additional Information:
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE - Substantial Changes
I. Summary:
CS/SB 806 creates section 381.825, Florida Statutes, to establish the “Ramping up Education of
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia for You (READY) Act.” The bill requires the Department of
Health (DOH) to use existing, relevant public health and community outreach programs to
educate health care practitioners on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia-related disorders
(ADRD).
The bill provides an effective date of July 1, 2022.
II. Present Situation:
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and
behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.
These functions include memory, language skills, visual perception, problem solving, self-
management, and the ability to focus and pay attention. Some people with dementia cannot
control their emotions, and their personalities may change. Dementia ranges in severity from the
REVISED: BILL: CS/SB 806 Page 2
mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person's functioning, to the most severe stage,
when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of living.
1
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease that begins
with mild memory loss and can lead to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond
to one’s environment. Alzheimer’s disease affects parts of the brain that control thought,
memory, and language. It can seriously affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
Although scientists are studying the disease, the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown.
2
It is estimated that there are over 580,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease in the state
of Florida.
3
By 2025, it is projected that 720,000 Floridians will have Alzheimer’s disease.
4
Most
individuals with Alzheimer’s can live in the community with support, often provided by spouses
or other family members. In the late stages of the disease, many patients require care 24 hours
per day and are often served in long-term care facilities.
Dementia Care and Cure Initiative
The DOEA announced the Dementia Care and Cure Initiative (DCCI) in 2015 to engage
communities across the state to be more dementia-caring, promote better care for Floridians
affected by dementia, and support research efforts to find a cure. In collaboration with Florida’s
11 Area Agencies on Aging and 17 memory disorder clinics, participating DCCI communities
organize task forces consisting of community professionals and stakeholders who work to bring
about education, awareness of, and sensitivity regarding the needs of those affected by
dementia.
5
The goals of the DCCI include:
Increasing awareness of dementia, services, and supports.
Providing assistance to dementia-caring communities.
Continuing advocacy for care and cure programs.
6
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
The bill creates s. 381.825, F.S., to establish the “Ramping up Education of Alzheimer’s Disease
and Dementia for You (READY) Act.”
The bill requires the DOH to use existing, relevant public health and community outreach
programs to educate health care practitioners on all of the following topics:
The importance of early detection and timely diagnosis of ADRD.
Use of a validated cognitive assessment tool.
The value and effectiveness of the Medicare annual wellness visit in detecting ADRD.
1
What is Dementia? Symptoms, Types, and Diagnosis, National Institute on Aging, available at
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-dementia-symptoms-types-and-diagnosis, (last visited Jan. 4, 2022).
2
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging website available at
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/alzheimers.htm#AlzheimersDisease, (last visited Jan. 4, 2022).
3
Alzheimer’s Association available at https://www.alz.org/media/Documents/florida-alzheimers-facts-figures-2018.pdf, (last
visited Mar. 10, 2021).
4
Id.
5
See http://elderaffairs.state.fl.us/doea/dcci.php (last visited Jan. 4, 2022).
6
See DCCI-Fact-Sheet_2021-March-2021.pdf (elderaffairs.org) (last visited Jan. 4, 2022). BILL: CS/SB 806 Page 3
Using Medicare advance care planning billing codes for persons with ADRD.
Reducing the risk of cognitive decline, particularly among persons in diverse communities
who are at greater risk of developing ADRD.
The bill provides and effective date of July 1, 2022.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
CS/SB 806 requires the DOH to use existing, relevant public health and community
outreach programs to educate health care practitioners on Alzheimer’s disease and
dementia-related disorders.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None. BILL: CS/SB 806 Page 4
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill creates section 381.825 of the Florida Statutes.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
CS by Appropriations on February 9, 2022:
The committee substitute:
Removes the requirement that the DOH encourage health care providers, including
but not limited to, hospitals, county health departments, physicians, nurses, and rural
health centers, to display the above information in their facilities and discuss the risks
of ADRD with patients age 60 or older;
Removes the requirement that the DOH post on its website the ADRD educational
information, links to any additional resources, and links to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention web pages that have information on ADRD;
Removes the allowance that the DOH can use any federal or state funds appropriated
for the purpose, to fund mobile and virtual outreach programs that prioritize those in
underserved communities to provide information on ADRD, including but not limited
to, brain health, risk education, and early detection and diagnosis; provide referrals to
the DOEA; and include links to available resources relating to ADRD.;
Removes the requirement that the DOH must collaborate with other agencies and
organizations to create a systematic approach to increasing public awareness of
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia-related disorders;
Removes the requirement that the DOH must develop and disseminate information to
medical and osteopathic doctors and to nurses as part of the education requirement for
health care practitioners on ADRD and removes the requirement that the DOEA and
the Alzheimer’s Association must work with the DOH on this education requirement;
and
Removes the methods to detect early warning signs of ADRD as an education
requirement.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.