HB5948 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 20164 RPM 35719 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB5948

Introduced 2/10/2010, by Rep. Susana A. Mendoza

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Mass Influenza Vaccination School Program Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health in consultation with the Director of Insurance and the State Board of Education shall establish school-based influenza mass vaccination programs in elementary and secondary schools to vaccinate children against influenza. Provides that participation in the programs by a school district or an individual shall be voluntary. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall maximize the use of influenza vaccines through existing appropriations for that purpose, discretionary resources, and private immunization coverage. Provides that not later than 90 days following the creation of the programs, the Department of Public Health shall submit a written report on the results of the programs. Contains other provisions.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning health.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Mass Influenza Vaccination School Program Act.

Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. The best way to help prevent seasonal influenza is by getting a vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, an average of more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from influenza-related complications and approximately 36,000 people, most of whom are elderly, die from influenza-related causes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine seasonal influenza vaccination for all children aged 6 months through 18 years. Children and young adults 5 years to 19 years of age are 3 to 4 times more likely to be infected with influenza than adults. School-aged children are the population group most responsible for transmission of contagious respiratory viruses, including influenza. The elderly make up the population that is most vulnerable to severe illness from influenza due to weaker immune responses to vaccination.

School-based vaccination programs may be effective ways to vaccinate children while reducing transmission and infection rates to the larger community while at the same time reducing rates of school absenteeism due to children being infected with influenza. Increased focus on providing influenza vaccine to children targeted for immunization will also help efforts to build a sound foundation for future vaccination efforts. Schools can be an effective infrastructure tool to improve pandemic planning by identifying known and effective pandemic vaccination centers. School-based programs may help facilitate mass immunization clinics and build partnerships with local public health teams in the event of a public health emergency such as a pandemic. Although experience has demonstrated the feasibility and success of school-based influenza vaccination programs in vaccinating children, funding and logistical considerations, particularly involving the delivery of vaccine to children with private insurance coverage, continue to present issues of program sustainability.

Section 10. Mass vaccination programs.

(a) The Department of Public Health in consultation with the Director of Insurance and the State Board of Education shall establish school-based influenza mass vaccination programs in elementary and secondary schools to vaccinate children against influenza.

(b) The programs under this Section shall be designed to administer influenza vaccines consistent with the recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the annual vaccination of all school-aged children 5 through 18 years of age.

(c) The Department of Public Health may implement these programs through coordination with local public health departments, school nurses, school healthcare programs, and other local entities.

(d) Participation in the programs by a school district or an individual shall be voluntary. The vaccine shall be administered with the consent of a student's parent or legal guardian.

(e) In implementing the programs, the Department of Public Health shall maximize the use of influenza vaccines available through existing appropriations for that purpose, discretionary resources, and private immunization coverage in the following manner:

(1) For children who are eligible for the federal Vaccines for Children Program, the Department of Public Health shall provide influenza vaccination through existing appropriations for vaccinations and work with the State Medicaid program to ensure reimbursement for the administration fee.

(2) For children who have private insurance that covers influenza vaccination, the Department of Public Health shall work with the Director of Insurance, private insurers, and public vaccine stakeholders to coordinate the accessibility of coverage for all reasonable and customary expenses, including the cost of the vaccine and administration fee, incurred when influenza vaccine is administered outside of the physician's office in a school or other related settings.

(3) For children not covered for influenza vaccination by a federally funded program or private insurance, the Department of Public Health shall explore alternative funding options through federal discretionary public funds, State funds, or the receipt and expenditure of an appropriation, grant, or donation by a public or private source to implement the programs.

(f) The programs under this Section shall not restrict the discretion of a health care provider to administer any seasonal influenza vaccine approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for use in pediatric populations.

(g) Influenza vaccine shall be offered to all children as soon as a vaccine becomes available before the start of the season and shall continue throughout the entire influenza season.

(h) Not later than 90 days following the creation of the programs, the Department of Public Health shall submit a written report on the results of the programs to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House Representatives, Senate President, and the presiding officers of each standing committee of the legislature with jurisdiction over the Department of Public Health. The report shall include the following:

(1) an assessment of the seasonal influenza vaccination rates of school-aged children in localities where the programs are implemented, compared to the national average influenza vaccination rates for school-aged children, including whether school-based vaccination assists in achieving the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for annual influenza vaccination of school-aged children aged 5 through 18 years;

(2) an assessment of the utility of employing elementary schools and secondary schools as a part of a State-wide, community-based pandemic response program that is consistent with existing federal and State pandemic response plans;

(3) an assessment of the feasibility of using existing State, federal, and private insurance funding in establishing a State-wide, school-based vaccination program for seasonal influenza vaccination;

(4) an assessment of the number of education days gained by students as a result of seasonal vaccinations based on absenteeism rates; and

(5) a recommendation of whether the programs under this Section should be continued, expanded, or terminated.

If feasible, the report shall also include an assessment of other indirect benefits, including, but not limited to, the impact on hospital visits, physician visits, and medication use.