Ensuring Veteran Access to Appropriate Immunizations

(a)

Inclusion of recommended adult vaccinations as medical services

(1)

Covered benefit

Subparagraph (F) of section 1701(9) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(F)immunizations against infectious diseases, including each immunization on the recommended adult immunization schedule at the time such immunization is indicated on that schedule;

(2)

Definition

Section 1701 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding after paragraph (9) the following new paragraph:

(10)The term recommended adult immunization schedule means the schedule established (and periodically reviewed and, as appropriate, revised) by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and delegated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(b)

Report to Congress

Section 1704(1)(A) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1)in clause (i), by striking and at the end; (2)in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (3)by inserting after clause (ii) the following new clause:

(iii)to ensure that veterans have received each immunization on the recommended adult immunization schedule at the time such immunization is indicated on that schedule.

(c)

Assurance that administration of vaccinations constitutes appropriate management and cost-Effective delivery of health care services

(1)

In general

Section 1706(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (A)by striking In managing the provision and inserting (1) In managing the provision; and (B)by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(2)In managing the provision of medical services under such section, the Secretary shall develop and implement quality measures and metrics to ensure that veterans receiving medical services under this title receive each immunization on the recommended adult immunization schedule at the time such immunization is indicated on that schedule. Such quality measures and metrics shall include targets for compliance. The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent feasible, develop and implement such measures and metrics concurrently and consistently with the metrics in place, as of the date of the enactment of this paragraph, with respect to influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations.

(2)

Report to Congress

Section 1704(1) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (c)(1)(C), is further amended by adding after subparagraph (G) the following new subparagraph:

(H)Statistics related to the quality measures and metrics established under section 1706(a)(2) of this title.

(3)

Effective dates

(A)

Development of initial schedule

The Secretary shall establish the quality measures and metrics described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of section 1706 of title 38, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), through notice and comment rulemaking in the Federal Register. The Secretary shall cause to have published in the Federal Register proposed measures and metrics by no later than July 1, 2011, and shall finalize such measures and metrics by no later than December 31, 2011. (B)

Implementation of measures and metrics

The Secretary shall implement paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of section 1706 of title 38, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1) on January 1, 2012. (C)

Report to Congress

Subparagraph (H) of paragraph (1) of section 1704 of title 38, United States Code, as added by paragraph (2), shall apply with respect to the first report submitted under such section after January 1, 2012.