Senate Study Bill 3070

                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
                                            HUMAN RESOURCES BILL BY
                                            CHAIRPERSON VEENSTRA)


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the content of immunizations, and making a
  2    penalty applicable.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 6387SC 80
  5 pf/sh/8

PAG LIN

  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  135.39A  IMMUNIZATIONS ==
  1  2 CONTENT.
  1  3    Beginning January 1, 2005, immunizations administered in
  1  4 this state shall not contain any mercury or other
  1  5 preservatives containing heavy metals, including but not
  1  6 limited to thimerosal.
  1  7    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  514C.21  COVERAGE FOR IMMUNIZATIONS
  1  8 == MERCURY OR OTHER PRESERVATIVES.
  1  9    1.  Third=party payment provider contracts or policies
  1 10 delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this
  1 11 state on or after January 1, 2005, that provide reimbursement
  1 12 for immunizations shall provide reimbursement for
  1 13 immunizations not containing mercury or other preservatives
  1 14 containing heavy metals at the same rate provided for
  1 15 immunizations containing mercury or other preservatives
  1 16 containing heavy metals prior to January 1, 2005.
  1 17    2.  For the purposes of this section, "third=party payment
  1 18 provider contracts or policies" includes:
  1 19    a.  Individual or group accident and sickness insurance
  1 20 providing coverage on an expense=incurred basis.
  1 21    b.  An individual or group hospital or medical service
  1 22 contract issued pursuant to chapter 509, 514, or 514A.
  1 23    c.  An individual or group health maintenance organization
  1 24 contract regulated under chapter 514B.
  1 25    d.  An organized delivery system licensed by the director
  1 26 of public health.
  1 27                           EXPLANATION
  1 28    This bill prohibits immunizations administered in Iowa from
  1 29 containing mercury or other preservatives containing heavy
  1 30 metals, including but not limited to thimerosal, beginning
  1 31 January 1, 2005.  Under this portion of the Code, a violation
  1 32 of the section is a simple misdemeanor which is punishable by
  1 33 a fine of at least $50 but not to exceed $500 and, in lieu of
  1 34 or in addition to the fine, may be punishable by imprisonment
  1 35 not to exceed 30 days.
  2  1    The bill also requires third=party payment provider
  2  2 contracts or policies delivered, issued for delivery,
  2  3 continued, or renewed in this state on or after January 1,
  2  4 2005, that provide reimbursement for immunizations, to provide
  2  5 reimbursement for immunizations not containing mercury or
  2  6 other preservatives containing heavy metals at the same rate
  2  7 provided for immunizations containing mercury or other
  2  8 preservatives containing heavy metals prior to January 1,
  2  9 2005.
  2 10 LSB 6387SC 80
  2 11 pf/sh/8