I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3803
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to provide information and 
outreach for the prevention of osteoporosis. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 11, 2004
Ms. BERKLEY (for herself and Mr. BURGESS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to provide 
information and outreach for the prevention of osteoporosis.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Osteoporosis Edu-
cation and Prevention Act of 2004’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Osteoporosis is a major public health prob-
lem affecting 44,000,000 Americans: 10,000,000 
who already have the disease and 34,000,000 more 
who have low bone mass placing them at risk for 
fractures. 
(2) Although there is currently no cure for 
osteoporosis, it is preventable in most cases if proper 
steps are taken to preserve bone mass as an indi-
vidual ages. 
(3) Osteoporosis is a silent disease that often is 
not discovered until a fracture occurs. One out of 
two women and one out of four men over age 50 will 
have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their life-
times. 
(4) While both men and women may develop 
osteoporosis, 80 percent of the individuals who de-
velop the disease are women. Most adult women are 
not aware of their personal risk factors for 
osteoporosis. A woman’s risk hip fracture is equal to 
her combined risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian 
cancer. 
(5) Osteoporosis is responsible for more than 
1,500,000 
fractures 
annually, 
including 
over 
300,000 
hip 
fractures, 
approximately 
700,000
vertebral fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and 
300,000 other fractures. 
(6) The estimated nationwide medical costs di-
rectly attributable to osteoporosis-related treatment 
was $17,000,000,000 in 2001—$47,000,000 each 
day—and the cost is rising. Much of this cost might 
be avoidable with proper education about prevention, 
diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. 
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
carry out a national campaign to increase awareness and 
knowledge with respect to osteoporosis. As part of such 
campaign, the Secretary shall provide public service an-
nouncements, in accordance with applicable law and regu-
lations, by developing and placing in telecommunications 
media announcements intended to encourage at-risk popu-
lations to discuss their risks of osteoporosis with their phy-
sicians, and to call attention to early warning signs and 
risks factors based on the best available medical informa-
tion. 
SEC. 4. AMENDMENT. 
Section 202 of the Older Americans Act of 1995 (42 
U.S.C. 3012) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(g)(1) The Assistant Secretary shall carry out an 
osteoporosis prevention demonstration program by making 
grants to public and private nonprofit agencies, organiza-
tions, and institutions for purposes of—
‘‘(A) determining the best practices for pro-
viding information and outreach services (including 
programs and information, such as forums, semi-
nars, and large-print, easy-to-understand, multi-
lingual literature) relating to prevention, diagnosis, 
and treatment of osteoporosis; and 
‘‘(B) measuring the effectiveness of such pro-
gram over a 3-year-period, as shown by an increase 
in the percentages of individuals who have dem-
onstrated expanded awareness and knowledge of 
osteoporosis (including knowledge of personal risk 
factors). 
‘‘(2) In carrying out such program, the Assistant Sec-
retary shall collaborate with the leading nonprofit health 
organization, as well as other health entities, with a mis-
sion both to promote lifelong bone health nationwide and 
to provide outreach to State and local governments and 
communities, for the purpose of determining the best prac-
tices for providing bone-health information and outreach 
services to at-risk populations.
‘‘(3) The Assistant Secretary shall include in the an-
nual report required by section 207(a) to be submitted by 
the Assistant Secretary, a description of the program car-
ried out under paragraph (1) and of the collaboration pro-
vided under paragraph (2).’’.
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