BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2069|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2069
Author: Maienschein (R)
Amended: 4/24/14 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 8-0, 6/25/14
AYES: Hernandez, Morrell, Beall, De Le�n, DeSaulnier, Evans,
Monning, Nielsen
NO VOTE RECORDED: Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 75-0, 5/5/14 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Immunizations: influenza
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the Department of Public Health
(DPH) to post educational information on its Internet Web site,
in accordance with the latest recommendations of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regarding influenza
disease and the availability of the flu vaccine.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1.Requires DPH to administer various programs for the protection
of public health.
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2.Requires DPH to submit a biennial report to the Legislature on
the immunization status of young children in the state and the
improvements made in ongoing methods of immunization outreach
and education in communities where immunization levels are
disproportionately low.
This bill:
1.Requires DPH to post educational information on its Internet
Web site, in accordance with the latest recommendations of the
CDC, regarding influenza disease and the availability of the
flu vaccine.
2.Requires the educational information to include, but not be
limited to:
A. The health benefits of a flu vaccine;
B. That the flu vaccine may be a covered benefit for those
with health insurance coverage;
C. That flu vaccines may be available for a minimal fee to
those individuals who do not have health insurance
coverage; and
D. The locations where free or low-cost flu vaccines are
available.
3.Permits DPH to use additional available resources to educate
the public about the information described in #2 above,
including public service announcements, media events, public
outreach to individuals and groups who are susceptible to
influenza, and any other preventive and wellness education
efforts recommended by public health officials.
4.Makes findings and declarations related to the flu,
complications of the flu, and the flu vaccine. States
legislative intent to increase the average number of
Californians who receive a flu vaccine.
Comments
According to the author's office, this bill is intended to
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better educate the public about the benefits of obtaining an
annual flu vaccination. As the flu season winds down, the
number of statewide deaths due to severe influenza continues to
rise - well over 300 people under the age of 65 - as California
public health officials continue to investigate additional
cases. California has seen three times the number of deaths
reported in all of last year's flu season, which took the lives
of 106 people. Medical experts and CDC believe annual influenza
vaccination is the most effective method for preventing
influenza virus infection and its complications. Although
vaccination coverage has increased in recent years for many
groups recommended for routine vaccination, considerable room
for improvement remains. The CDC estimates seasonal influenza
immunization rates for individuals age six months and older for
California is 44.2% compared to 45% nationally. Since February
2010, the CDC's Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices
voted for universal flu vaccination in the United States to
expand protection against the flu to more people. This bill
seeks to have DPH be more assertive in educating Californian's
on the recommended measures people can take to protect
themselves from flu deaths by taking a number of prescribed
steps within their current budget. Part of this information is
to make people aware that many are eligible for free flu
vaccinations as part of wellness care under the Affordable Care
Act. In reading the many news articles this year on the flu and
deaths suffered, the author was taken with how many commented
that they did not believe healthy, active and young people could
be vulnerable to the flu. The author's office states that an
active campaign by the state will assist in informing people
about the benefits of a flu vaccination before it is too late.
Prior Legislation
AB 106 (Berg, Chapter 378, Statutes of 2007) requires general
acute care hospitals to offer, prior to discharge, immunizations
for flu and pneumococcal disease to its inpatients aged 65 years
of age or older, as specified.
AB 699 (Chan, Chapter 589, Statutes of 2006) requires
manufacturers or distributors of the influenza vaccine, or a
non-profit health care service plan that exclusively contracts
with a single medical group in a specified geographic area to
provide or arrange for the provision of medical services to its
enrollees, to report the amount of the influenza vaccine that
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has been shipped, and the name, address, and, if applicable, the
telephone number of the recipient, to the Department of Health
Services (predecessor to DPH) upon request. The bill requires
entities that possess the flu vaccine or conduct flu clinics to
cooperate with local health officers in determining local
inventories.
AB 1711 (Strickland, Chapter 58, Statutes of 2005) authorizes a
registered nurse or licensed pharmacist in skilled nursing
facilities to administer flu and pneumococcal immunizations to a
patient over 50 years of age, pursuant to standing orders and
without patient specific orders, if the immunization standing
orders that are not patient-specific meet prescribed federal
recommendations and are approved by the medical director of the
facility.
AB 691 (Daucher, Chapter 36, Statutes of 2004) requires
specified nursing facilities to offer immunizations for flu and
pneumococcal disease to residents that are 65 years or older.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/6/14)
AFSCME, AFL-CIO
American Academy of Pediatrics
Biocom
California Academy of Physician Assistants
California Children's Hospital Association
California Healthcare Institute
California Hospital Association
California Pharmacists Association
March of Dimes
Sanofi-Pastuer
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : AFSCME, AFL-CIO states this bill helps
hospitals combat the flu by educating discharged patients about
the vaccine available to protect them from contracting the
virus. AFSCME also notes, given the level of misdirected
hysteria surrounding the use of vaccinations, it would benefit
patients to have access to information regarding the advantages
of vaccinating against preventable ailments. The California
Hospital Association and the California Children's Hospital
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Association state that educating the public on the availability
of vaccinations that can prevent a potentially deadly virus
infection is a critical component in reducing the severity of
the annual flu season. Sanofi-Pastuer writes that this bill
requires DPH to better inform the public about the health
benefits of annual flu vaccine without mandating hospitals and
others to provide information to patients, and is a low cost
requirement that possibly counties can duplicate and further
share this information. Biocom states that many families are
coping with losses that likely could have been prevented had one
gotten a flu shot and it is critical this information is
available by every means possible.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 75-0, 5/5/14
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian
Calderon, Campos, Chau, Ch�vez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,
Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier,
Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gorell,
Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hern�ndez, Holden,
Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Lowenthal, Maienschein,
Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan,
Patterson, Perea, V. Manuel P�rez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon,
Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner,
Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, John A.
P�rez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Donnelly, Logue, Mansoor, Melendez, Vacancy
JL:k 8/6/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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