WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to help Rhode Island seniors stay healthy and save taxpayers money, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDoH) will receive a $231,842 federal reimbursement through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for providing doctors with free flu vaccines to administer to seniors on traditional Medicare at no cost during the 2010-2011 season, as well as the current 2011-2012 flu season.  This payment model has helped to break down financial barriers physicians face in offering and administering adult immunizations and also helped to expand options for where seniors can receive free flu shots during flu season.

“Flu season is here and this federal funding will help the Rhode Island Department of Health better protect the entire community by providing free flu vaccinations to area residents,” said Reed, who has fought to expand immunization coverage for children and adults.  During consideration of the Affordable Care Act, Reed successfully included a provision to enable states to purchase routinely recommended adult vaccines using the federal contract.  “Streamlining the vaccine supply for providers and decreasing costs to CMS will help increase the vaccination rate for Rhode Island seniors and make our state a healthier place for all.”

In 2007, RIDoH worked out an agreement with CMS to be reimbursed for purchasing the influenza vaccine, which lowered the cost to CMS between $1.42 and $1.73 per dose.  RIDoH then distributed the vaccine to physicians free of charge, thereby eliminating significant overhead costs.  However, CMS did not reimburse RIDoH for the flu vaccines administered to seniors during the 2010-2011 influenza season, and instead, sought to end the innovative program. 

Earlier this year, Senator Reed effectively urged CMS to reverse its decision and reimburse RIDoH for the influenza vaccines purchased during the 2010-2011 influenza season and extend the demonstration to apply to all routinely recommended adult vaccines administered to Rhode Island’s Medicare beneficiaries in the future.  At the time, Reed wrote: “The decision by CMS to end this demonstration is a rejection of a proven, efficient approach to widespread adult vaccination.  Indeed, requiring providers to, once again, complete two separate transactions – a purchase agreement with RIDoH and a separate reimbursement claim with CMS – in order to vaccinate seniors discourages providers from offering this service.  This appears to contradict the mission of both CMS to ensure effective, up-to-date health care coverage and the CDC to promote health and wellness.”

“This program has driven down costs, improved public health, and made Rhode Island a leader in adult immunization accessibility.  I will continue my work to ensure seniors have access to this type of program in the future,” concluded Reed.

Last year, approximately 130.9 million Americans -- about 43 percent of the population -- got a flu shot, which represents an increase over past years.  According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu causes an estimated 200,000 hospitalizations and between 3,000 and 49,000 deaths in a typical year.  Adults age 65 and older make up the majority of these vaccine-preventable deaths. 

Rhode Island’s immunization program has received numerous awards, including: the Immunization Excellence award at the CDC’s National Immunization Conference; the 2008 Vision Award from the Association of State and Territorial Health Organizations; and the AIM’s Bull’s-Eye Award for Innovation and Excellence in Immunization.