[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 66 (Friday, May 13, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE IMMUNIZATIONS FOR VETERANS

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                           HON. CLIFF STEARNS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 13, 2011

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, last year I introduced the ``Access to 
Appropriate Immunizations for Veterans Act of 2011.'' I'm proud to 
reintroduce this bill in the 112th Congress which I believe would help 
advance the goal we all share of promoting lifelong health for the men 
and women who fought for our freedom.
  While the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, health care system is 
doing an admirable job of caring for those who bore the burden of 
combat, continual reform is needed to ensure the care veterans receive 
represents the most up-to-date practices and procedures.
  According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, CDC, 
each year approximately 70,000 adult Americans die from vaccine-
preventable diseases. Influenza alone is responsible for over one 
million ambulatory care visits, 200,000 hospitalizations and 30,000 
deaths.
  Many of our veterans who are in the ``high-risk'' category of 
contracting vaccine-preventable diseases--including those with HIV, 
Hepatitis C, and substance use disorder--are enrolled in the VA health 
care system and could particularly benefit from receiving vaccinations.
  Commendably, the VA has protocols in place that recommend vaccines as 
protection against deadly viruses. However, VA only has established 
performance measures for two vaccines, making it unclear if protocols 
are being routinely enforced for all CDC recommended vaccines.
  The tremendous value performance measures have regarding the 
increased utilization and effectiveness of vaccination distribution is 
evidenced by VA's own application of performance measures for the 
influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations. When these performance 
measures were initially applied, VA saw vaccination rates rise 
respectively from 27 percent and 26 percent to 77 percent and 80 
percent. It also resulted in a 50 percent decline in pneumonia 
hospitalization rates.
  The legislation I am introducing today would expand VA performance 
measures to cover all vaccinations recommended by the VA and CDC and 
ensure that veterans receive appropriate immunizations at the time 
suggested by the CDC. It would also require VA to report to Congress on 
their progress in supporting vaccinations in the veteran population.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join with me in cosponsoring the 
Access to Appropriate Immunizations for Veterans Act of 2011. This 
legislation would ensure that our veterans are receiving timely and 
suitable access to vaccines and prevent those under the care of the VA 
from being unnecessarily exposed to vaccine preventable diseases.

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