WHEREAS, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also known as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the third leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of over 138,000 Americans in 2010; and

WHEREAS, This is the 12th consecutive year in which women have exceeded men in the number of deaths attributable to COPD. In 2011, more than 72,000 women died compared to over 65,000 men; and

WHEREAS, American women are about twice as likely to be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis as men. In 2011, 3.3 million men (29.6 per 1,000 population) had a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis compared to 6.8 million women (56.7 per 1,000 population); and

WHEREAS, COPD is a chronic and progressive disease that impacts an estimated 24 million Americans each year, including an estimated 1.6 million residents of California who suffer directly from the disease; and

WHEREAS, In 2010, the national annual cost for COPD was estimated to be $49.9 billion, including $29.5 billion in direct health care expenditures; and

WHEREAS, In 2006, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development reported that hospitalizations associated with COPD alone amounted to an estimated $1.34 billion in medical costs within the state; and

WHEREAS, Many patients suffering with COPD are not diagnosed until they have reached an advanced stage of COPD, which often includes a disabling degree of lung dysfunction; and

WHEREAS, A diagnostic test for COPD, known as spirometry, is available for office use, allowing early diagnosis of COPD; and

WHEREAS, Early diagnosis and management of COPD can effectively reduce the overall financial burden of this illness on publicly funded health care programs, including Medi-Cal; and

WHEREAS, Achieving early diagnosis and proper management of COPD among California’s diverse populations, within the Medi-Cal program as well as other publicly funded health care programs, requires overcoming cultural, language, and literacy challenges; and

WHEREAS, Proper management of COPD can lead to an improved quality of life and self-sufficiency for patients who receive publicly funded benefits; and

WHEREAS, The “Healthy People 2020” project of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health concludes that, while primary care physicians are in a key position to provide optimal care to patients with COPD and to provide counseling during clinical or health center visits, primary care physicians need to be trained in the latest methods for diagnosing and treating the disease; and

WHEREAS, The California COPD Coalition has developed a comprehensive plan to address COPD in the state, entitled the “Strategic Plan to Address COPD in California,” which outlines six goal areas, including all of the following: prevention, quality of care, public health infrastructure and advocacy, surveillance, research, and public education awareness; now, therefore, be it