HB415 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Elaine Beech

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Health, diabetes and obesity, Public Health Department required to submit annual action plans to the Legislature, proposed implementation of budget

Summary

The bill would require the Department of Public Health to report annual action plans on diabetes and obesity, create a voluntary diabetes care protocol for clinicians, and provide legal immunity to physicians who participate.

What This Bill Does

Every year, the Department of Public Health would have to submit action plans to the Senate Health Committee and the House Health Committee about how diabetes and obesity affect the state, including a detailed budget blueprint to carry out the plan. The department would also develop a voluntary protocol for clinicians that outlines quality and control measures for treating diabetes. The bill provides civil and criminal immunity to physicians who participate in developing or implementing the protocol, and it says the protocol does not set a standard of care or change existing medical liability laws. Plans would include specifics like how many people with diabetes are covered by Medicaid, the reach and cost of programs, coordination with partners, expected outcomes, and benchmarks for success.

Who It Affects

• Alabama Department of Public Health: must prepare and submit annual action plans and budgets for diabetes and obesity, and develop the voluntary clinical protocol.
• Physicians and other clinicians: may participate in the voluntary diabetes protocol and would receive immunity from civil and criminal liability for actions related to protocol development or implementation.
• Medicaid recipients with diabetes or obesity (and ADPH contracted partners): figures on coverage, program reach, and costs are included in the plans, affecting planning and resources.
• ADPH contracted partners and other stakeholders: included in coordination, communication, and program impact assessments described in the plans.
• Legislative committees (Senate Health Committee and House Health Committee): receive the annual plans and use them for oversight and budgeting.

Key Provisions

• Section 1 requires the Department of Public Health to submit an annual action plan for diabetes to the Senate Health and the House Health Committees by February 1 each year, detailing financial impact, reach, Medicaid-covered individuals, program reach, costs, benefits, coordination, a detailed action plan with benchmarks, and a detailed budget blueprint to implement the plan; it also requires a voluntary protocol for clinicians with diabetes treatment quality measures (A1C, LDL, BP, hypoglycemia, tobacco non-use).
• Section 2 requires a separate annual action plan for obesity to the same committees by February 1 each year, including similar metrics, coordination, action steps, outcomes, benchmarks, and a detailed budget blueprint.
• Section 3 states that no information or protocols created under this act will establish a standard of care for physicians or modify liability laws; physicians who participate in protocol development or implementation are immune from civil and criminal liability for related acts.
• Section 4 states the act takes effect immediately after passage and approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health