The National Indian Health Board said it will continue to press for a longer extension to the Special Diabetes Program for Indians.

Congress created the program in 1997 to address high rates of diabetes in Indian Country. The Indian Health Service has reported measurable gains in preventing and treating the disease as a result of $150 million in yearly grants.

In the past, lawmakers renewed the program for five-year periods. But that's proven more difficult in recent years, so one-year extensions have been the norm, including a measure that just cleared the 113th Congress.

"We are thrilled at the passage of a one-year renewal for SDPI and recognize it as an important step in the continuous fight to treat and prevent diabetes in Indian Country," NIHB Chairperson Cathy Abramson, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, said in a press release. "As happy as we are today - we will continue fighting for long-term renewal tomorrow. SDPI saves lives and money!"

The one-year extension of the SDPI is included in H.R.4302, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act. The House passed the bill last Thursday.

The Senate took up the House version and passed it on Monday. The bill now heads to President Barack Obama for his signature.

"We will continue fighting for the long-term renewal of this program so that improved prevention and treatment, hiring more health care professionals and health educators in Indian Country continues to grow," Abramson said.

Related Stories:
House passes extension of Special Diabetes Program for Indians (3/28)
NIHB schedules briefing on Special Diabetes Program for Indians (12/3)
Congress extends Special Diabetes Program for another year (1/2)