Letter from Emily Smith (President, Nevada Academy of Family Physicians) to Shelley Berkley, September 1, 1999, regarding the Nevada Immunization Program (1 page)

Nevada Academy of Family Physicians 3660 Baker Lane, #205 Reno, NV 89509-5499 775-826-5100 or 877-826-5100 fax 775-826-4475 email: debinafp@aol.com web site: zvww.aafp.org/chapterzveb/nevada.html September 1, 1999 Congresswoman Shelley Berkley U.S. House of Representatives 2340 Passeo Del Prado, #D106 Las Vegas, NV 89102 Dear Congresswoman Berkley: As president of the Nevada Academy of Family Physicians and a solo practitioner in Incline Village, Nevada I was concerned to learn of possible changes in the Nevada Immunization Program. Family physicians provide a large percentage of pediatric care in our state and our organization would like to strongly speak against the proposed changes. Vaccine preventable diseases have been repeatedly proven to respond to appropriate immunizations and it is distressing to consider that the citizens of Nevada will not have adequate access to such a basic health care service. Nevada ranked 35th in immunizations and the proposed changes would drop this even further. The cost effectiveness of the proposed changes are short sighted when the complications of vaccine preventable illness are considered. These include hospitalization, disability and death. OFFICERS: EMILY A. SMITH, M.D. PRESIDENT BRIAN R. PASSALACQUA, M.D. PRESIDENT-ELECT JOEY A. VILLAFLOR, M.D. SECRETARY/TREASURER JOSEPH P. HARDY, M.D. IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT DIRECTORS: HERVE BEZARD, M.D. DARLA A. BRYANT, M.D. JEAN ANN EDSALL, M.D. JOSEPH E. JOHNSON, M.D. COLLEEN C. LYONS, M.D. MARC D. REYNOLDS, M.D. DELEGATES: DANIEL R. SPOGEN, M.D. MARJORIE UHALDE, PhD., M.D. ALTERNATE DELEGATES: R.BRUCE BANNISTER, D.O. DAVID S. HOSKINS, M.D. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: DEBI L. BRADLEY It is also important to know that many insurance companies do not pay for immunizations and the cost is $500 per child to fully immunize to age six. The Vaccines for Children Program is federally funded. The federal government has cut back funding of this program while the Centers for Disease Control have continued to make additional recommendations for further immunizations in childhood. Thus, producing a significant shortfall in dollars necessary to provide immunizations to children throughout the United States. The Nevada Legislature has at this time not made up the shortfall of funds to continue to provide adequate immunizations. We believe that other alternatives need to be considered. We hope that you will continue to serve the citizens, especially the children, by continuing the fight against vaccine preventable diseases. Respectfully, lily A. Smith, M.D. President, NAFP EAS:dlb