Chapter 1.6. Influenza And Pneumococcal Immunizations of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 105. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 1.6.
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions
apply:
(a) "Health care facility" means a skilled nursing facility as
defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1250, an intermediate care
facility as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 1250, or a nursing
facility as defined in subdivision (k) of Section 1250. This chapter
shall not apply to hospital-based skilled nursing facilities.
(b) "Medically contraindicated" means that the administration of
the influenza or pneumococcal vaccines to a person, because of a
medical condition of that person, would be detrimental to the person'
s health if the person receives either or both of the vaccines.
(a) Each year, commencing October 1 to the following
April 1, inclusive, every health care facility, as defined in
subdivision (a) of Section 120392, shall offer, pursuant to Section
120392.4, immunizations for influenza and pneumococcal disease to
residents, aged 65 years or older, receiving services at the
facility, based upon the latest recommendations of the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, and the latest recommendations of
appropriate entities for the prevention, detection, and control of
influenza outbreaks in California long-term care facilities.
(b) Each health care facility, as defined in subdivision (a) of
Section 120392, shall offer, pursuant to Section 120392.4,
pneumococcal vaccine to all new admittees to the health care
facility, based on the latest recommendations of the ACIP.
(c) The facility shall be reimbursed the standard Medi-Cal rate
for an immunization provided to a Medi-Cal recipient, unless he or
she is also a Medicare recipient whose coverage includes
reimbursement for the immunization.
(a) The department shall provide appropriate flu vaccine
to local governmental or private, nonprofit agencies at no charge in
order that the agencies may provide the vaccine, at a minimal cost,
at accessible locations. The department and the California Department
of Aging shall prepare, publish, and disseminate information
regarding the availability of the vaccine and the effectiveness of
the vaccine in protecting the health of older persons.
(b) In administering this section, the department may provide
guidance to local agencies as to whether one or more population
groups shall have priority for the flu vaccine offered through this
program. In developing this guidance, the department shall consider
the influenza recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP) or other criteria in order to ensure that the vaccination
program is efficient and effective in meeting public health goals.
Any guidance issued pursuant to this subdivision shall be exempt from
the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act
(Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code). In the absence of guidance from
the department, local agencies shall be guided by the influenza
recommendations of the ACIP.
(c) The department may provide appropriate vaccine that prevents
other respiratory infections to local governmental or private,
nonprofit agencies at no charge in order that the agencies may
provide the vaccine, at a minimal cost, at accessible locations for
groups identified as high risk by the ACIP.
(d) The program shall be designed to use voluntary assistance from
public or private sectors in administering the vaccines. However,
local governmental or private, nonprofit agencies may charge and
retain a fee not exceeding two dollars ($2) per person to offset
administrative operating costs.
(e) Except when the department determines that it is not feasible
to use federal funds due to excessive administrative costs, the
department shall seek and use available federal funds to the maximum
extent possible for the cost of the vaccine, the cost of
administering the vaccine, and the minimal fee charged under this
section, including reimbursement under the Medi-Cal program for
persons eligible therefor to the extent permitted by federal law.
(f) A private, nonprofit volunteer agency whose involvement with
an immunization program governed by this section is limited to the
provision of a clinic site or promotional and logistical support
pursuant to subdivision (c), or any employee or member thereof, shall
not be liable for any injury caused by an act or omission in the
administration of the vaccine or other immunizing agent, if the
immunization is performed pursuant to this section in conformity with
applicable federal, state, or local governmental standards and the
act or omission does not constitute willful misconduct or gross
negligence. As used in this subdivision, "injury" includes the
residual effects of the vaccine or other immunizing agent. It is the
intent of the Legislature in adding this subdivision to affect only
the liability of private, nonprofit volunteer agencies and their
members that are not health facilities, as defined in Section 1250.
(g) This section shall not be construed to require the physical
presence of a directing or supervising physician, or the examination
by a physician of persons to be tested or immunized.
(a) A resident who receives services at a health care
facility during the period of October 1 to April 1 shall have his or
her status for influenza and pneumococcal immunization determined by
his or her physician or facility medical director, and, if
appropriate, the facility shall offer to make the immunizations
available, unless the facility, through written policies and
procedures and using standardized nursing procedures, offers to make
the immunizations available without limitation as to the period when
the residents receive services at the facility.
(b) A health care facility shall obtain from a resident who
requests immunization services, or, if the person lacks the capacity
to make medical decisions, from the person legally authorized to make
medical decisions on the resident's behalf, informed consent for the
resident to be immunized by vaccination against influenza or
pneumococcal disease, or both, to be conducted by the facility while
the resident is receiving services at the facility.
(c) A health care facility shall comply with Section 1418.8 with
respect to a resident who lacks the capacity to make health care
decisions, and there is no person with legal authority to make these
decisions on behalf of the resident.
(d) The health care facility shall document in a resident's
medical record whether the resident has been offered the influenza
vaccine or the pneumococcal vaccine.
No person who has been offered the vaccine as required
under this chapter may receive either an influenza vaccine or
pneumococcal vaccine pursuant to this chapter if any of the following
conditions exists:
(a) The vaccine is medically contraindicated, as described in the
product labeling approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration
or by the recommendations established by the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practice (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention that are in effect at the time of vaccination.
(b) Receipt of the vaccine is against the resident's personal
beliefs.
(c) Receipt of the vaccine is against the resident's wishes, or,
if the person lacks the capacity to make medical decisions, is
against the wishes of the person legally authorized to make medical
decisions on the resident's behalf.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
a health care facility shall not be required to offer immunizations
for influenza and pneumococcal disease under either of the following
circumstances:
(1) The facility is unable to obtain the vaccine due to a shortage
of the supply of vaccine.
(2) The resident refuses to pay for the vaccine and there is no
other funding source available to pay for the cost of the vaccine.
(b) If a health care facility, as defined in subdivision (a) of
Section 120392, fails to offer an immunization pursuant to this
chapter due to lack of availability of vaccine, a physician's refusal
to assess the resident or cooperate with the recommendations of the
provisions of this chapter, or lack of resident cooperation, the
failure shall not be the basis for issuing a deficiency or citation
against the facility's license.
(c) This chapter is intended to encourage immunizations for
residents in health care facilities, and the department shall
consider a facility's efforts to prevent a violation of this chapter
prior to issuing a deficiency or citation. The department may issue a
deficiency or citation for failure to comply with Section 120392.4.
Pursuant to its standardized procedures and if it has the
vaccine in its possession, each year, commencing October 1 to the
following April 1, inclusive, a general acute care hospital, as
defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1250, shall offer, prior to
discharge, immunizations for influenza and pneumococcal disease to
inpatients, aged 65 years or older, based upon the adult immunization
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the
recommendations of appropriate entities for the prevention,
detection, and control of influenza outbreaks in California general
acute care hospitals.
(a) The State Department of Public Health shall post
educational information, in accordance with the latest
recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, regarding influenza disease and the availability of
influenza vaccinations on the department's Internet Web site. It is
the intent of the Legislature to increase the average number of
Californians who receive an influenza vaccination.
(b) The educational information posted on the department's
Internet Web site pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include, but not
be limited to, all of the following:
(1) The health benefits of an influenza vaccination.
(2) That the influenza vaccination may be a covered benefit for
those with health insurance coverage.
(3) That influenza vaccinations may be available for a minimal fee
to those individuals who do not have health insurance coverage.
(4) The locations where free or low-cost vaccinations are
available.
(c) The department may use additional available resources to
educate the public about the information described in subdivision
(b), 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.