Ch. 618                                     1993 LAWS OF MARYLAND

           a plan for a certain registry for child immunizations; requiring the Department to
establish a certain educational program; requiring the Department to collect
aggregate data on the immunization status of children in health maintenance
organizations; requiring the Department to collect certain data on certain children
enrolled in health maintenance organizations funded by the Maryland Medical
Assistance Program; providing for the termination of this Act; and generally relating
to early immunization of children in the State.

BY adding to                                                                                                                 

Article - Health - General
Section 18-109
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1990 Replacement Volume and 1992 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS. Early childhood immunizations are essential to the protection of the
health of Maryland's children and to the promotion of their development to their
maximum potential: and

WHEREAS, By age 2 only 56 percent of the children in Maryland have received
the recommended schedule of immunizations; and

WHEREAS, Immunizations save $10 for every $1 spent in providing them; and

WHEREAS, Last year the General Assembly passed and the Governor signed a
child wellness services bill to encourage early immunizations which required certain
insurance policies to include coverage for immunizations; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly believes that more can be done to encourage
immunizations thereby saving the State money on preventable childhood illnesses; now,
therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Health - General

18-109.

(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A REGISTRY OF CHILD
IMMUNIZATIONS FOR ALL CHILDREN IN THE STATE BETWEEN BIRTH AND THE AGE
OF 6 YEARS.

(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL:

(1) ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THE PURPOSES OF THIS
SECTION; AND.

(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP A PLAN TO ESTABLISH A REGISTRY
OF CHILD IMMUNIZATIONS FOR ALL CHILDREN IN THE STATE BETWEEN BIRTH AND
THE AGE OF 6 YEARS.

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