C.S.H.B. 1920 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1920 By: Capelo Public Health Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Texas has participated in the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program since its inception in 1994. Children eligible for VFC include those of Native American or Native Alaskan heritage and children on Medicaid. Texas VFC also provides vaccines for children covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and underinsured children (children whose insurance company does not provide coverage for vaccine). According to TDH, 70% of children born in Texas qualify for VFC. At present, the fee paid to physicians for administering vaccines is below the cost of providing the vaccine. C.S.H.B. 1920 attempts to increase awareness of the Vaccines for Children program and make the application process less of a burden for providers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS The bill requires the department to develop continuing education programs for providers relating to immunizations and the vaccines for children program operated by the department. The bill specifies what will be required in the educational materials. In order to develop the continuing education programs and materials, the department is required to establish a work group that consists of physicians, nurses, department representatives, and members of the public. The bill clarifies that in Sec. 531.063, "vaccines for children program" refers to the program operated by the Texas Department of Health. The bill requires the Health and Human Services commission to allow a provider to enroll in the vaccines for children program on the same form that the provider completes to apply as a Medicaid health care provider. The bill requires the commission to allow providers to use the immunization registry to report vaccines administered under the program. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003 COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute differs from the original bill in that it deletes all language referring to informational materials and only refers to continuing education programs. "Physician" is replaced with "provider" when referring to the continuing education programs. The substitute also includes representatives of managed care organizations and health plan providers to be included in the department's work group. The substitute differs from the original bill taking out the provision that a provider can enroll in VFC on CHIP enrollment forms. Also the subsection concerning provider reimbursement has been removed in the substitute.