1. (a) Information on vaccines administered shall be sent in a manner consistent with these rules and procedures issued by the department. All immunizations for which there is consent shall be reported to the immunization registry until the child's 18th birthday. The immunization history will be purged or removed automatically from the immunization registry and archived on the child's 18th birthday.
2. (b) After consent is obtained, a provider reporting directly to the immunization registry, shall submit all the immunization history required. Required immunization history consists of the information listed in subsections (g)(2) and (3) of this section.
3. (c) A child's immunization history shall be accepted without a social security number. However, social security numbers are very important to assure that the immunization histories are complete and adequately match. If available, the social security numbers shall be forwarded to the department. Other information specified on forms and data file layouts as optional should be provided, with the consent of a parent, when available.
4. (d) Providers receiving notifications from parents requesting that their child's immunization history not be reported to the immunization registry shall maintain documentation of the notice at the provider's office and no information shall be forwarded to the department. A health care provider who administers an immunization to a person younger than 18 years of age shall provide an immunization history to the department unless the immunization history is submitted to a health plan that pays or reimburses a claim for an immunization to a person younger than 18 years of age. If consent for participation in the immunization registry is obtained, the immunization history shall be forwarded to the department by the health plan.
5. (e) Beginning on January 1, 1999, immunization histories shall be reported to the department by paper forms, electronic transfer, fax, mail, telephone, or direct data entry into the immunization registry within 30 business days of administering a vaccine in a format prescribed or approved by the department. Providers and health plans may contact the department (1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756, 1-800-252-9152) to establish a provider number and a system of reporting. Reporting by telephone is limited to providers that administer vaccine to less than 25 children per month.
6. (f) Reports submitted by electronic transfer shall meet data quality, format, security, and timeliness standards prescribed by the department.

7. (g) Beginning on January 1, 1999, with written consent from a parent, providers and health plans shall report the following necessary information to identify a child, adequately track the child's immunization status, allow for effective recall and reminder systems and satisfy the required data elements in the immunization registry.

   1. (1) Provider information must include:

      1. (A) the health care provider's name (first, middle initial, last);
      2. (B) business address (street, city, zip code); and
      3. (C) business telephone number (including area code).

   2. (2) Child and parent information must include:

      1. (A) child's name (first, middle initial, last);
      2. (B) child's address;
      3. (C) child's social security number (if available);
      4. (D) gender of the child;
      5. (E) child's date of birth; and
      6. (F) mother's maiden name (if available).

   3. (3) Vaccine information must include:

      1. (A) type of vaccine administered;
      2. (B) date the vaccine was administered (month, day, year);
      3. (C) vaccine lot number (if known);
      4. (D) dose or series number (if known); and
      5. (E) name of vaccine manufacturer (if known). If the immunization history is entered as historical data, the lot number and manufacturer are not required. Historical data are immunizations that were administered prior to the present date and/or administered by a different provider.
8. (h) Evidence of immunity to vaccine preventable disease shall be reported.
9. (i) In addition to data required, optional information which aids in the tracking of children in the immunization registry may be supplied at the discretion of the parent.
10. (j) If written consent is obtained from a parent, providers should enter all immunization history.
11. (k) Beginning January 1, 1999, with written consent, a provider shall submit immunization history to the immunization registry. The provider is not required to submit immunization information to the department when the immunization information is submitted to a health plan. Providers shall submit evidence of consent when they submit the documentation of services provided to the health plan.

Source Note:The provisions of this §100.5 adopted to be effective January 1, 1999, 23 TexReg 12670.