MHA News Now

Sanofi recalls certain lots of H1N1 pediatric vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur has recalled four lots of pediatric H1N1 flu vaccine in prefilled syringes after finding that doses in these lots no longer meet potency specifications, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today. Children who received vaccine from these lots do not need to be revaccinated, because the small decrease in antigen content is unlikely to result in a significant reduction in immune response, CDC said.

Vaccine providers should return any unused vaccine from the lots to the manufacturer. Shipped in November, the recalled lots are intended for children 6-35 months old.

The affected vaccine met all specifications at the time of release. The CDC and Food and Drug Administration have determined that there are no safety concerns for children who received the vaccine.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination.

[ via AHA News Now ]

OSHA issues H1N1 compliance directive

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 20 issued guidance to field staff conducting inspections to minimize high-risk occupational exposures to the 2009 H1N1 flu virus in health care and other settings. In response to complaints, OSHA said its inspectors will ensure that health care employers implement a hierarchy of controls, and encourage vaccination and other work practices recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The CDC recommends the use of respiratory protection that is at least as protective as a fit-tested disposable N95 respirator for health care personnel who are in close contact (within 6 feet) with patients who have suspected or confirmed 2009 H1N1 influenza,” OSHA said. “Where respirators are not commercially available, an employer will be considered to be in compliance if the employer can show a good faith effort has been made to acquire respirators.”

The CDC last month updated its H1N1 infection control guidance for health care settings, including the protection of health care personnel.

The American Hospital Association is reviewing the OSHA directive.

Poster informs patients that Medicare covers flu vaccines

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a poster to help inform patients that Medicare covers both the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines. Health care providers are encouraged to exhibit the poster where Medicare patients will see it.

While seniors are encouraged to get their seasonal flu vaccine as soon as possible, the first available doses of H1N1 vaccine should be given to those at highest risk for infection and complications. This includes children, pregnant women, health care workers and younger adults with certain medical conditions.

Providers can find information on billing Medicare for the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines at www.cms.hhs.gov/adultimmunizations. Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program also cover the H1N1 vaccine.

CDC issues new estimate of H1N1 cases, hospitalizations

As of mid-October, an estimated 63,000-153,000 Americans have been hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Nov. 12. Previous CDC estimates included only laboratory-confirmed cases, while the new cumulative estimate adjusts that figure to account for the fact that many cases are not confirmed through testing.

Using the new methodology, CDC estimates that 14-34 million U.S. cases of H1N1 flu have occurred in the first six months of the pandemic, including 2,500-6,100 deaths. Details on the new estimates, including a breakdown by age groups, can be found at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu.  

The CDC plans to update the estimates every three to four weeks using the new methodology.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Infectious disease groups appeal to Obama to pull back on N95 enforcement

Three infectious disease professional associations have written to President Obama, asking him to stop OSHA from enforcing N95 respirator provisions on hospitals providing H1N1 swine flu care.
 
In a letter sent November 5, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology asked Obama to:
• Modify Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance to instead promote the use of surgical masks for routine H1N1 patient care
• Issue an immediate moratorium on OSHA’s enforcement of N95 provisions for healthcare facilities treating H1N1 patients

There has considerable back-and-forth debate among infection control professionals, scientists, and public health officials about whether N95s are any better than surgical masks for protecting healthcare workers during routine contact with H1N1 patients.
 
The CDC recently re-affirmed its recommendation that health care workers wear N95s when within 6 ft. of patients with suspected or confirmed H1H1. OSHA subsequently issued a statement saying that facilities treating H1N1 patients must follow the CDC’s recommendations and make good faith efforts to obtain and use N95s in the face of limited supplies.

[ via Hospital Safety Connection ]

Guidance on HIPAA implications of H1N1

Following the recent declaration for H1N1 flu as a national health emergency, the government posted a number of documents that have HIPAA implications, says Frank Ruelas, director of compliance and risk management at Maryvale Hospital and principal, HIPAA Boot Camp, in Casa Grande, AZ.

Ruelas points to this document on the CDC Web site that summarizes other related documents online.

“Many of these documents help clear up questions on whether the subsequent 1135 waivers suspend HIPAA, the time frame related to these waivers, and those provisions of the HIPAA privacy rule where the Secretary of HHS may waive sanctions and penalties,” Ruelas says.

[ via HIPAA Weekly Advisor ]

CDC: H1N1 vaccine supply growing

About 38 million doses of H1N1 flu vaccine are available for states to order, twice as much as two weeks ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Nov. 6. Another 8 million doses should become available this week, said Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

About one-third of the supply is in the nasal spray form. As of Oct. 28, nearly 16.9 million doses of H1N1 vaccine had been shipped to states.

Flu activity continues to be widespread in 48 states. More than half of patients hospitalized with H1N1 flu have been under age 25 and more than 90% of deaths from the flu have been under 65, Schuchat said.

[ via AHA News Now ]

CMS to host call on H1N1 waivers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Nov. 10 conference call on Section 1135 waivers, which hospitals can request to help meet patient needs during the H1N1 flu pandemic. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has temporarily waived or modified certain Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program requirements during the pandemic.

Hospitals can petition their CMS regional office or state survey agency for any of the waivers. Experts will be available to answer questions during the call. In addition, questions may be emailed to CMS in advance at Pandemic@cms.hhs.gov.

For more information, see the CMS announcement.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Track Payer’s Preferred H1N1 Admin Code — or Risk Rejections

Swine flu has made an early arrival in several states and in your 2009 preventive and sick coding. To avoid denials for H1N1 vaccination administration, you’re going to have to check which of three administration code options your major payers want. 

Learn more here.

HHS, ED Docs Provide H1N1 Guidelines to Public

Guidelines to help the public determine whether or not their H1N1 symptoms warrant a trip to the emergency room were released today by the American College of Emergency Physicians. The guidelines are a joint effort by ACEP and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Emergency Care Coordination Center, which are divisions of HHS.

Read more here.