HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-02-2006-5jORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: November 2, 2006
Action Agenda
Item No. ~j~_
SUBJECT: Approval of New Fee for Gardicil Vaccine for Health Department
DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rosemary Summers, 245-2411
PURPOSE: To consider approving a new fee for Gardicil vaccine for the Health Department.
BACKGROUND: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted
disease in the U.S. Certain HPV strains can cause cervical cancer and genital warts. Gardacil,
a new vaccine from Merck and Company, was licensed in-June. It protects against 4 strains of
HPV that are responsible for approximately 70% of all cervical cancers and 90% of all cases of
genital warts. The vaccine is administered as a series of 3 intramuscular injections over a
period of 6 months.
The State Immunization Branch will be supplying Gardacil only to clients eligible for the
Vaccines for Children Program (VFC), early next calendar year, leaving many of the Health
Department's clients without access to this vaccine. In the VFC program, children age 9-18 are
eligible using the following criteria:
• Medicaid eligible
• Uninsured
• American Indian or Alaskan Native
• Underinsured (insurance does not cover full cost of vaccines; those with co-payments or
deductibles are not considered to be underinsured) who receive immunizations at a
Federally Qualified Health Center or Rural Health Center
Since June, the Health Department has had many women call to inquire about the availability of
the vaccine, stating that access to the vaccine has been very difficult to find through their regular
medical providers.
The Orange County Health Department is proposing to offer Gardacil to non-VFC clients in the
Family Planning, Child and Adolescent Health, and Immunization programs. The vaccine is
licensed for females from 9 to 26 years of age. The guidelines from the ACIP (the national
committee that develops. immunization guidelines) recommend the vaccine for all young women
beginning at age 11. The cost for the Health Department to purchase the vaccine is $120 per
dose. The Board of Health in September approved the Health Department proposal to offer the
vaccine to non-VFC eligible clients for a flat fee of $130 per dose, which includes a $10
administration fee ($390 for the full series of 3 doses). A flat fee is not subject to the sliding fee
scale. The cost of the vaccine is covered by many health insurance providers, so a receipt will
be provided for the client to submit to their insurance carrier for reimbursement.
This is the first vaccine that has proven to be effective in the prevention of cancer and is an
important advance for protecting the health of young women.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed fee of $130 covers the actual cost of the vaccine
purchase and provides a small recovery for the cost of administering the vaccine ($10).
Anticipated revenue from the new fee totals $1,560 for the remainder of the current fiscal year,
and $3,900 for fiscal year 2007-08. Budget staff will follow up with a corresponding budget
amendment on an upcoming BOCC agenda.
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RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the flat fee of
$130 for the Gardicil vaccine to be added to the schedule of fees.