---
title: HR 333. Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month; May 2025; recognize
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr333
cite_as: HR 333, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr333
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr333.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr333/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70623
date: 2025-02-20
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr333.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 333
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-20
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Sheila Jones
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR333/2025
upstream_id: 1978175
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - osteoporosis
  - bone health
  - Medicare
  - public health awareness
  - aging
---

# HR 333. Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month; May 2025; recognize

## Text

House Resolution 333
By: Representative Jones of the 60th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing May 2025 as Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS, an estimated 54 million Americans have osteoporosis or low bone mass, and
studies suggest that approximately 1 in 2 women and up to 1 in 4 men age 50 and older will
break a bone due to osteoporosis; and
WHEREAS, around 1.8 million Medicare beneficiaries suffer approximately 2.1 million
osteoporosis-related fractures annually, and osteoporosis-related bone fractures are
responsible for more hospitalizations than heart attacks, strokes, or breast cancer; and
WHEREAS, the total annual cost for osteoporosis-related fractures among Medicare
beneficiaries was $57 billion in 2018, and that number is expected to grow to over $95
billion in 2040 without reforms as the population ages; and
WHEREAS, in Georgia, over 48,000 Medicare beneficiaries suffered more than 56,400
osteoporosis-related fractures in 2016; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 7,000 Georgians on Medicare suffered not only an initial fracture
but also a subsequent fracture, resulting in estimated costs of over $131 million; and
WHEREAS, osteoporosis and the broken bones it can cause are not part of normal aging.
Building strong bones begins in childhood and is essential to the prevention of osteoporosis;
care for our bones is important throughout our lives, but we reach our peak bone mass by
early adulthood; and
WHEREAS, optimum bone health and prevention of osteoporosis can be maximized by a
balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening
exercise, and a healthy lifestyle with no smoking or excessive alcohol intake; and
WHEREAS, osteoporosis is often called a silent disease because one cannot feel bones
weakening. Breaking a bone is often the first sign of osteoporosis. Timely bone health
screening, diagnosis, and treatment can help prevent fractures leading to hospitalization and
nursing home stays; and
WHEREAS, cost effective post-fracture care that improves care coordination has been
demonstrated to reduce the number of subsequent or repeat fractures yet is not widely
available or properly incentivized by Medicare; and
WHEREAS, it is crucial that we raise awareness about bone health and osteoporosis among
the public, health professionals, and policy makers.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize May 2025 as Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention
Month.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
public and the press.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution recognizes May 2025 as Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, highlighting the disease's toll on Georgians, especially older adults on Medicare.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution does not change any Georgia law. Instead, the House of Representatives uses it to formally recognize May 2025 as Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. The text cites statistics about osteoporosis, including that an estimated 54 million Americans have the condition or low bone mass, and that in Georgia over 48,000 Medicare beneficiaries suffered more than 56,400 osteoporosis-related fractures in 2016.
The resolution explains that osteoporosis is often called a silent disease because bone weakening cannot be felt, and that a broken bone is often the first sign of it. It notes that diet, exercise, and healthy habits can help prevent the disease. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies to the public and the press, but it creates no new programs, funding, or legal requirements.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes May 2025 as Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month in Georgia.
- States a series of facts and statistics about osteoporosis and its impact on Medicare beneficiaries in Georgia and nationally.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make copies available to the public and the press.
- Does not create any new law, funding, program, or enforcement mechanism.

### Who it affects

The resolution mainly affects public awareness efforts. It is directed at the general public, health professionals, and policymakers, and references older Georgians and Medicare beneficiaries who are most at risk of osteoporosis-related fractures.

### Why it matters

While the resolution carries no legal force, it puts the General Assembly's attention on osteoporosis as a public health issue affecting many older Georgians, particularly those on Medicare who face costly fractures, and may support broader awareness or screening efforts.

### Key provisions

- The resolving clause recognizes May 2025 as Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month.
- The whereas clauses cite that over 48,000 Georgia Medicare beneficiaries suffered more than 56,400 osteoporosis-related fractures in 2016, with repeat fractures costing an estimated $131 million.
- The final clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-02-20)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-20)
- Sponsors: Sheila Jones
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70623

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr333.md?full=1