Ch. 217

1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAPTER 217
(House Bill 155)

AN ACT concerning

Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Education Act

FOR the purpose of requiring certain coverage for certain individuals for reimbursement
for a certain procedure used to identify bone mass or detect bone loss for the
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis; requiring certain health
maintenance organizations, nonprofit health service plans, and health insurers to
identify and use certain materials for certain purposes; providing for the application
of this Act; defining certain terms; and generally relating to requiring certain health
maintenance organizations, nonprofit health service plans, and health insurers to
provide certain coverage for certain individuals for a certain procedure used to
identify bone mass or detect bone loss for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
of osteoporosis.

BY adding to

Article - Health - General

Section 19-706(n)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1996 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

BY adding to

Article - Insurance

Section 15-822

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1995 Volume and 1996 Supplement)

(As enacted by Chapter_ (H.B. 11) of the Acts of the General Assembly of

1997)

Preamble

WHEREAS, 25 million Americans are stricken with osteoporosis—a preventable
disorder that occurs most frequently among older people, causing loss of bone mass; and

WHEREAS, Experts estimate that, in the United States, one in two women and one
in five men will suffer a bone-fracture because of osteoporosis; and

WHEREAS, Nationally, osteoporosis results in 1.5 million fractures of the hip,
spine, wrist, and other bones, with a cost of at least $18 million in heath care and
associated expenses; and

WHEREAS, Osteoporosis progresses silently and in most cases goes undiagnosed
until a fracture occurs; once a fracture occurs, the disease is already advanced, and the
likelihood is high that another fracture will occur; and

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