Notice from IIC : Immunization Legislation Changes Information
Posted about 6 years ago by Samantha Congdon
The House Health & Welfare Committee meeting has been rescheduled at the Capital for Monday, February 19th at 9:00am!
We need your help!
OPPOSE House Bill 494
HOUSE BILL 494:
https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2018/legislation/H0494.pdf
House Bill 494 would require that for every immunization given, a signature be obtained from the provider AND a parent/guardian acknowledging that all required immunization disclosures have been given and received.
We are now asking for your support to OPPOSE this bill as it makes its way through the House Health & Welfare Committee.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
- Contact the House Health & Welfare Committee: Below are the names of the House Health & Welfare Committee (click to obtain contact information). In your own voice, please share your opinion and reach out to each of the Senators (below are also some key talking points).
Chair Fred Wood
Vice Chair Kelley Packer
Christy Perry
John Vander Woude
Eric M. Redman
Megan Blanksma
Karey Hanks
Mike Kingsley
Bryan Zollinger
- VoterVoice: Contact directly House Health & Welfare Committee members - https://www.votervoice.net/IDMA/campaigns/56947/respond
- Attend the committee hearing: The hearing date is scheduled at the Capital on Monday, February 19th at 9:00am and we encourage anyone who is free to come and attend the committee meeting as an audience member.
- Testify: If you want to testify before the House Health & Welfare Committee, please feel free to reach out to me for more details at kjs@idahoimmune.org or 208-961-1514.
KEY TALKING POINTS
- IRIS provides a consolidated record
- A majority of citizens in this state support IRIS as an opt-out system
- Changes to require additional consent are costly and would create an administrative burden on already busy practices
IRIS provides a consolidated record regardless of where someone receives care. Most people see multiple providers. Examples include their primary care provider, the emergency room, a pharmacy, and specialists. To provide the best care possible, medical providers need access to their patients’ immunization history. This ensures complete and timely immunization while preventing over-immunization and errors. Administering vaccines that aren’t needed or have already been administered is costly to the patient, medical providers, and insurers.
A majority of Idahoans support IRIS as an opt-out system. Prior to July 2010, IRIS was an opt-in system. A majority of Idahoans were choosing to opt their children and themselves into IRIS. In 2008, more than 85% of all children born in Idaho were consented for IRIS at the time of birth and by one year of age, virtually all children were included in the system. Currently there are more than *1.3 million patient records in IRIS and since 2010, only 868 persons have been opted out of IRIS. Within the United States there are only three states that require written consent for children to opt into their state immunization database (KS, MT, TX).
Additional consent procedures for IRIS would be costly to implement and an administrative burden on medical practices. These potential costs would be associated with initial system modifications for electronic health records (EHR), maintenance fees, and administrative burden. In 2010, the cost for the initial EHR modification ranged from $750 to more than $1500 per modification. This cost has likely increased, especially with the increased number of providers using EHRs.
Thank you for your support.
*Please note, in last night’s email it was stated that there are more than 1.6 million patient records in IRIS since 2010, the actual number is 1.3 million.
Karen Sharpnack, Executive Director
Idaho Immunization Coalition
208-961-1514