WASHINGTON, D.C. — AHIP announced its member companies will continue providing coverage for routine vaccines through 2027. This decision follows a temporary halt to decisions made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
The 2027 coverage policy extends an agreement that was in place for 2026. The delay in the committee's decisions originated from a lawsuit filed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which resulted in a court-ordered pause on modifications to the vaccine schedule. The selection process for the vaccines committee was paused due to judicial concerns.
"Insurance companies are clearly choosing to cover vaccines because they know that they are safe and effective," said Elizabeth Jacobs, an epidemiology professor at the University of Arizona.
"They understand that there is a benefit there to people being vaccinated, especially kids, and I'm sure they've run the numbers and they know that it will cost them a heck of a lot more to treat kids with measles who are hospitalized than it is to pay for vaccines," Jacobs said. Federal health data indicates nearly 2,000 confirmed cases of measles have occurred in the U.S. this year. Federal health data also showed elevated rates of whooping cough last year, coinciding with declining vaccination rates.
"The executive order may signal that the administration is planning to convene the committee soon, whether through new appointments or by relying on ex officio members," said Richard Hughes, a lawyer representing the academy. "Otherwise, the committee cannot meet," Hughes said.
"It still remains deeply problematic that representatives of the U.S. government continue to undermine vaccines," Jacobs said. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy oversees the selection process for the committee.