42 U.S.C. § 247b–9a — Better diabetes care

(a) Short title This section may be called the "Catalyst to Better Diabetes Care Act of 2009." (b) National diabetes report card (1) In general Every two years, the Secretary, working with the CDC Director, must prepare a national diabetes report card, and, where possible, one for each State. (2) Contents (A) Each report card must include overall health results for people diagnosed with diabetes and prediabetes, covering (i) preventive care practices and quality of care, (ii) risk factors, and (iii) outcomes. (B) Every report card after the first must also include trend analysis for the nation, and where possible for each State, to (i) track progress toward national goals and objectives for improving diabetes care, cost, and how common diabetes is (including the "Healthy People 2010" goals), and (ii) inform policy and program decisions. (3) Availability The Secretary and the CDC Director must make each report card available to the public, including by posting it online. (c) Improvement of vital statistics collection (1) In general The Secretary, acting through the CDC Director and working with relevant agencies and States, must (A) promote training physicians on why birth and death certificate data matters and how to properly fill out these documents, including data on diabetes and other chronic diseases; (B) encourage States to adopt the newest standard revisions of birth and death certificates; and (C) work with States to modernize their vital statistics systems so the data is accurate, timely, and cost-effective. (2) Death certificate additional language As part of this, the Secretary may push for improvements to how diabetes deaths are recorded, including by adding a question asking the person certifying the cause of death whether the deceased had diabetes. (d) Study on appropriate level of diabetes medical education (1) In general The Secretary must study, with the Institute of Medicine and relevant associations and councils, how diabetes affects the practice of medicine in the United States, and how much diabetes medical education should be required before licensure, board certification, and board recertification. (2) Report Within 2 years of March 23, 2010, the Secretary must report on this study to the House Committees on Ways and Means and on Energy and Commerce, and the Senate Committees on Finance and on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (e) Authorization of appropriations Congress authorized whatever sums were necessary to carry out this section.