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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Every year in the United States, on average, more
3 than 200,000 people are hospitalized from influenza-related
4 complications and about 36,000 people, primarily in the elderly
5 population, die from influenza-related causes; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The most effective strategy for preventing
7 influenza is annual vaccination; and
 
8     WHEREAS, School-aged children ages 5 to 19 years have the
9 highest rates of influenza infection and school-aged children
10 are the major vectors for influenza transmission that spread
11 the virus to adults and the elderly in the community, causing
12 substantial socioeconomic impact; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
14 Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
15 recommends universal influenza vaccination of all individuals;
16 and
 
17     WHEREAS, Influenza vaccination rates for school-aged
18 children are extremely low, ranging from 21.1% (high-risk) to
19 33% (healthy) during the 2006 to 2007 influenza season, and new
20 immunization strategies are needed to improve vaccination in
21 this population; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, The potential threat of an influenza pandemic
2 underscores the importance of building school-based
3 vaccination infrastructure as federal pandemic preparedness
4 plans call for the vaccination with the pandemic vaccine of an
5 unprecedented number of children, potentially in the school
6 setting; and
 
7     WHEREAS, School-based influenza vaccination programs have
8 grown substantially in recent years and have been particularly
9 successful in schools in which a majority of children qualify
10 for vaccine though the federal Vaccines for Children program;
11 and
 
12     WHEREAS, A barrier in school-based influenza vaccination
13 programs is the reimbursement of vaccine to children who have
14 private insurance that covers influenza vaccine but does not
15 recognize the school-setting as a point of service for
16 administration of the vaccine; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Private insurance's recognition of alternative
18 delivery venues, such as schools, for the administration of
19 influenza vaccine would increase access for all school-aged
20 children to receive vaccination to protect themselves and their
21 communities from influenza; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
3 urge the Department of Public Health to work with the Director
4 of Insurance, private insurers, and vaccine stakeholders to
5 coordinate the accessibility of coverage for children who have
6 private insurance that covers influenza vaccination for all
7 reasonable and customary expenses, including the cost of the
8 vaccine and the administration fee, incurred when influenza
9 vaccine is administered outside of the physician's office in a
10 school or other related setting; and be it further
 
11     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
12 presented to the Director of Public Health and the Director of
13 Insurance.