AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE DIABETES WELLNESS PILOT PROGRAM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO STUDY DIABETIC WELL CARE.

The full pilot program is established under Title 16, Chapter 21A of the Delaware Code, to be administered by the Secretary of DHSS in partnership with a Delaware healthcare system and technology companies selected via RFP.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture's Delaware Grown brand initiative will market fresh whole foods when seasonally available to help patients source locally grown foods for their diets.

Program admission is limited to patients with Type 2 diabetes and a Hemoglobin A1c range of 6.5% to 10.0%. At least 400 but no more than 500 volunteer participants are required, with a control group of at least 200 deidentified Type 2 diabetic patients with similar demographics.

Physician-led healthcare teams must establish baseline health data through laboratory testing, compare data every 3 months to real-time CGM data, repeat lab testing every 6 months, and develop individualized healthcare management plans including specific tests (lipid panel, HbA1c, vitamin D, UACR, magnesium, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, etc.).

The program is federally funded through the Federal Rural Health Transformation Program and requires no state fiscal note.

The Act takes effect immediately but implementation begins 90 days after the Secretary selects a technology company and at least 400 volunteer patients are recruited. The program sunsets 3 years after implementation unless extended by the General Assembly.

DHIN must report summary results to the Secretary, Governor, and General Assembly every 6 months until final report. If results are significantly positive, the Secretary may discontinue the study and expand the program. The Sunset Committee consults on continuation or expansion.

The program requires a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system with a functional application providing real-time food guidance, alerts for blood sugar levels outside norms, and compatibility to sync with healthcare team medical records. Additional technologies may be included if deemed valuable by the healthcare team and approved by the Secretary.