FLU VACCINE FOR ELDERLY PERSONS
House Bill 5325
Sponsor: Rep. Kevin Green
Committee: Senior Health, Security, and Retirement
Complete to 10-31-05
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5325 AS INTRODUCED 10-18-05
The bill would amend the Public Health Code (MCL 333.1101) to require a hospital, during flu season, to inform each elderly person admitted to the hospital for a period of 24 hours or more that the influenza vaccine is available. (This would apply unless a flu vaccine shortage has been declared causing a hospital to have an inadequate supply in stock.)
If an elderly person requests to be vaccinated, and a physician, physician's assistant, or certified nurse practitioner determines the vaccine is in the patient's best interest, the hospital would have to administer the vaccination to the elderly person before he or she is discharged and document the vaccination in the patient's medical record.
The bill would define an "elderly person" to mean an individual 65 years of age or older. "Flu Season" would be defined to mean that period between September 1 and April 1.
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.