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| Public Act 102-0788 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning regulation.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 is | ||||
amended by adding Section 31 as follows: | ||||
(225 ILCS 80/31 new) | ||||
Sec. 31. Administration of vaccines. | ||||
(a) A licensed optometrist may independently administer | ||||
the COVID-19 vaccine upon the completion of appropriate | ||||
training, as described in subsection (c). Vaccinations for | ||||
COVID-19 shall be limited to patients 17 years of age and | ||||
older. | ||||
(b) The optometrist shall administer the COVID-19 vaccine | ||||
and must not delegate the administration to an assistant or | ||||
any other person. Vaccination of a patient by an optometrist | ||||
shall be documented in the patient's record and shall include: | ||||
(1) the vaccine administered; | ||||
(2) the site of injection of the vaccine; | ||||
(3) the name, dose, manufacturer, lot number, and | ||||
beyond-use date of the vaccine; | ||||
(4) the name and address of the patient's primary | ||||
health care provider named by the patient; | ||||
(5) a notation that the patient was presented with the | ||||
appropriate vaccine information statement (VIS) prior to | ||
the administration of each vaccine; and | ||
(6) any adverse events that followed the vaccination. | ||
(c) In order to initiate and administer an immunization | ||
described in subsection (b), an optometrist must: | ||
(1) at a minimum, complete 4 hours of education in: | ||
(i) an immunization training program endorsed by the | ||
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (ii) the | ||
injections course approved by the National Board of | ||
Examiners in Optometry; or (iii) a course approved by the | ||
Department that provides equivalent training provided by | ||
an approved Continuing Education Sponsor. The training | ||
must include, at a minimum, hands-on injection technique, | ||
proper vaccine storage, clinic evaluation of indications | ||
and contraindications of vaccines, and the recognition and | ||
treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines, and the | ||
optometrist shall maintain that training; | ||
(2) be certified in basic life support; and | ||
(3) comply with all State and federal recordkeeping | ||
and reporting requirements, including providing | ||
documentation to the patient's primary care provider | ||
within 30 days of administering the vaccine and entering | ||
all patient level data on vaccines administered in the | ||
immunization data registry (I-Care) maintained by the | ||
Department of Public Health. | ||
The Department, in its discretion, may exempt an | ||
optometrist from the requirements of this subsection if the | ||
optometrist has completed the training required under a | ||
proclamation issued by the Secretary on March 24, 2021 to | ||
authorize licensed optometrists to administer COVID-19 | ||
vaccines. An optometrist who is granted an exemption from the | ||
Department is required to maintain the training required by | ||
this subsection. | ||
(d) An optometrist administering an immunization pursuant | ||
to this Section may also initiate and administer epinephrine | ||
or diphenhydramine by injection for the treatment of a severe | ||
allergic reaction to an immunization. | ||
(e) As applicable to the State Medicaid program and other | ||
payers, a vaccine ordered and administered in accordance with | ||
this Section shall be covered and reimbursed at no less than | ||
the rate the vaccine is reimbursed when ordered and | ||
administered by a physician. | ||
(f) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to | ||
implement this Section.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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