Colorado § 25.5-5-515 - Pharmacy reimbursement - vaccine administration to children - legislative declaration.

§ 25.5-5-515. Pharmacy reimbursement - vaccine administration to children - legislative declaration.

(1) (a) The general assembly finds and declares that:

(I) Pharmacists are highly trained and educated, doctorate-level health-care professionals specializing in the effective use of medications and their outcomes;

(II) Pharmacists provide health care throughout the entire health-care system, practicing in community pharmacies, hospitals, provider clinic offices, and specialty areas;

(III) With ninety percent of Americans living within five miles of a pharmacy, pharmacists are able to provide valuable public health services to communities and to provide those services in novel ways, including during nontraditional hours and without appointments; and

(IV) Convenient access to vaccines through a neighborhood pharmacy can help ensure that more children receive their childhood vaccinations according to federal recommended guidelines.

(b) Therefore, the general assembly declares that allowing reimbursement under the medical assistance program to a pharmacist or pharmacy that dispenses or administers childhood vaccinations is an important tool in ensuring the health of Colorado children through immunization.

(2) Pursuant to the requirements set forth in subsection (3) of this section, a pharmacist or pharmacy that dispenses or administers vaccinations to children under nineteen years of age pursuant to the federal centers for disease control and prevention's guidelines pertaining to the childhood immunization schedule may seek reimbursement for the dispensing or administration of vaccines under the medical assistance program either as a pharmacy benefit or as a medical benefit, as applicable.

(3) (a) To be eligible to receive reimbursement pursuant to subsection (2) of this section for administering vaccines to children, a pharmacy or pharmacist must be enrolled in good standing with the vaccines for children program administered by the department of public health and environment.

(b) Until the department of public health and environment determines a framework for participation by pharmacies and pharmacists in the vaccines for children program, nothing in this section requires the department of public health and environment to enroll pharmacies receiving reimbursement for the administration of vaccines through the medical assistance program as vaccines for children providers.

(c) As used in this subsection (3), "vaccines for children program" means the federal centers for disease control and prevention "vaccines for children program" administered by the department of public health and environment, or any successor program.

Source: L. 2023: Entire section added, (SB 23-162), ch. 148, p. 630, § 4, effective August 7.