HBA-MPM C.S.S.B. 281 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.S.B. 281
By: Nelson
Public Health
5/5/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The federal vaccines for children program (program) was developed to
support efforts to increase childhood immunization levels by providing
publically purchased vaccines to eligible children.  A large number of
Texas children qualify for vaccines through the program.  The majority of
vaccinations provided through the program are administered in the offices
of private physicians who are program providers.  The physicians receive
the vaccine at no cost in exchange for abiding by federal laws concerning
the use of the vaccines.  Currently, the Texas Department of Health (TDH)
selects which brands of vaccines on the federal list will be provided for
use in the program.  Program physicians are then sent the state-selected
brand, which may be different from the brand of vaccine already in use in
the physician's private practice. Giving the physician the ability to
select the brand of vaccine would allow the physician to exercise
professional judgment and provide the same vaccines to all children the
physician inoculates.  Additionally, TDH only makes some combination
vaccines which allow for fewer injections available to physicians.
Providing all available combination vaccines to physicians might allay
concerns over the number of injections during any one health care visit and
assist in the timely completion of the immunization series. C.S.S.B. 281
requires TDH in consultation with program providers  to develop and
implement a plan that allows program providers to select vaccines from the
federal list and to use combination vaccines. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 281 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Texas
Department of Health in consultation with health care providers (providers)
participating in the vaccines for children program (program) to develop and
implement a plan to allow each provider participating in the program to
select vaccines from the list of all vaccines that are recommended and
approved by the federal advisory committee on immunization practices and
under contract with the Centers for Disease Control of the United States
Public Health Service and to use combination vaccines.  In developing and
implementing the plan, TDH is required to base the schedule for
implementation by TDH region and on the availability of funds to ensure
vaccine choice for all providers and patients participating in the program. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.  

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 281 differs from the original by requiring the Texas Department of
Health (TDH) to consult with health care providers (providers)
participating in the vaccines for children program (program) to develop and
implement a plan to allow the providers to select recommended and approved
vaccines and use combination vaccines, whereas the original simply required
TDH to allow providers to select vaccines and  use combination vaccines.
The substitute also requires TDH to schedule implementation of the plan by
TDH region and on availability of funds to ensure vaccine choice for all
participating providers and patients.