Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SJR0215 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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4	4	SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 215
5	5	By Massey
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8	8	SJR0215
9	9	004536
10	10	- 1 -
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12	12	A RESOLUTION to commemorate Osteoporosis Awareness and
13	13	Prevention Month.
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15	15	WHEREAS, an estimated 54 million Americans have osteoporosis or low bone mass,
16	16	and studies suggest that approximately one in two women and up to one in four men age fifty
17	17	and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis; and
18	18	WHEREAS, approximately 1.8 million Medicare beneficiaries suffered approximately 2.1
19	19	million osteoporotic fractures a year, and osteoporosis-related bone fractures are responsible
20	20	for more hospitalizations than heart attacks, strokes, or breast cancer; and
21	21	WHEREAS, the total annual cost for osteoporotic fractures among Medicare
22	22	beneficiaries was $57 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow to over $95 billion in 2040 without
23	23	reforms, as the population ages; and
24	24	WHEREAS, in Tennessee, over 123,000 Medicare beneficiaries suffered over 147,700
25	25	osteoporotic fractures in 2016; and
26	26	WHEREAS, an estimated 6,000 Tennesseans on Medicare suffered not just an initial
27	27	fracture but also a subsequent fracture, resulting in estimated costs of over $114 million; and
28	28	WHEREAS, osteoporosis and the broken bones it can cause are not part of normal
29	29	aging. Building strong bones begins in childhood and is essential to the prevention of
30	30	osteoporosis; care for our bones is important throughout our lives, but we reach our peak bone
31	31	mass by early adulthood; and
32	32	WHEREAS, optimum bone health and prevention of osteoporosis can be maximized by
33	33	a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening
34	34	exercise, and a healthy lifestyle with no smoking or excessive alcohol intake; and
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37	37	- 2 - 004536
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39	39	WHEREAS, osteoporosis is often called a silent disease because one cannot feel bones
40	40	weakening. Breaking a bone is often the first sign of osteoporosis; timely bone health
41	41	screening, diagnosis, and treatment can help prevent fractures leading to hospitalization and
42	42	nursing home stays; and
43	43	WHEREAS, cost effective post-fracture care that improves care coordination has been
44	44	demonstrated to reduce the number of subsequent or repeat fractures, yet the care is not widely
45	45	available or properly incentivized by Medicare; and
46	46	WHEREAS, it is crucial that we raise awareness about bone health and osteoporosis
47	47	among the public, health professionals, and policy makers; now, therefore,
48	48	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH
49	49	GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF
50	50	REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that we commemorate Osteoporosis Awareness and
51	51	Prevention Month, May 2025.
52	52	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
53	53	for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
54	54	the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear
55	55	without House or Senate designation.
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