Bill > S2928

This bill establishes a three-year pilot program within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to screen twelve-year-olds for celiac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, when they are already undergoing cholesterol and lipid screenings. The program aims to improve early detection, reduce long-term health problems, and support affected families, with health care providers able to participate at no cost and required to collect data for an annual report. This report, submitted to legislative committees and clerks, will evaluate the program's effectiveness, analyze cost savings, present collected data, and offer recommendations for potential expansion of celiac disease screening across the commonwealth, with funding subject to legislative appropriation.