1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Seniors Through Immunization Act of 2017 . 2. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox in childhood. The virus can reactivate later in life, resulting in a painful, itchy rash that can persist for weeks, months, or years. Not only does the risk of herpes zoster itself increase with age, but, among individuals who experience herpes zoster, older individuals are much more likely to experience postherpetic neuralgia non-pain complications, hospitalizations, and interference with activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, and bathing. (2) Postherpetic neuralgia, a complication of shingles, occurs rarely among individuals under age 40 but can occur in up to 1/3 of untreated individuals age 60 and older. (3) The Food and Drug Administration approved the herpes zoster vaccine for individuals age 50 and older. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices presently recommends the herpes zoster vaccine for all individuals age 60 and older. (4) The Healthy People 2020 target baseline for the herpes zoster vaccine is 30 percent coverage for individuals age 60 and over. This benchmark is unfortunately low compared to that of other adult vaccines such as influenza (70 percent) and pneumococcal disease (60 percent). Even at such a low target, the coverage rate is not being met. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2014, only 28 percent of adults age 60 and older reported receiving the herpes zoster vaccine. (5) According to the 2014 National Health Interview Survey of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination rates for adults are 20 percent for Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis, 28 percent for shingles, 24 percent for Hepatitis B, and 61 percent for pneumonia. There are also disparities across adult vaccination rates. Adult immunization rates are generally lower among Hispanics,