Protecting Americans from Seasonal Influenza Act of 2020

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants for increasing seasonal influenza vaccination rates, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Americans from Seasonal Influenza Act of 2020 2. Grants for increasing seasonal influenza vaccination rates The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 317T of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247b–22 317U. Grants for increasing seasonal influenza vaccination rates (a) In general The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants to State health agencies to implement programs to increase seasonal influenza vaccination rates. (b) Number of grants Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall award no fewer than five and not more than 20 grants under this section. (c) Eligibility A State health agency is eligible to receive a grant under this section only if the average seasonal influenza vaccination rates in the State involved for the last three influenza seasons— (1) are below the rates recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of the Healthy People 2020 initiative; or (2) otherwise fail to meet any subsequent goal for influenza vaccination established by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (d) Elements As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section to implement programs intended to increase seasonal influenza vaccination rates, a State health agency shall agree to include in the program at least one of the following elements: (1) Increasing outreach to vulnerable populations, including pregnant and nursing mothers, the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and young children. (2) Increasing outreach to populations most likely to be exposed to influenza, including health professionals and college students. (3) Encouraging employer-based vaccination programs. (4) Coordinating between health care providers and insurers to reduce the out-of-pocket costs of vaccinations. (5) Conducting a public awareness campaign on the burden of seasonal influenza. (6) Any other element determined by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce infections, hospitalizations, or fatalities associated with, or the economic burden of, seasonal influenza. (e) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2021 through 2023. .

Summary: Protecting Americans from Seasonal Influenza Act of 2020 This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to increase seasonable influenza vaccination rates in states that have sustained influenza vaccination rates below recommended levels. State health agencies receiving such grants must include at least one of the elements set out in the bill in their programs. Among others, these include (1) increasing outreach to vulnerable populations, (2) encouraging employer-based vaccination programs, and (3) coordinating between health care providers and insurers to reduce out-of-pocket costs of vaccinations.