Every year, Vaccinate Your Family publishes its State of the ImmUnion Report, detailing ways policymakers can increase immunization rates across the lifespan. These include:
Increasing Access to Vaccines by Supporting Diverse Vaccinators and Vaccination Locations
We need to be sure vaccinations are available where and when people are ready to receive them. To expand access to vaccines, Congress should:
- Connect children with the tens of thousands of providers who participate in the Vaccines for Children program
- Support and Promote Pharmacist Vaccination
- Include Community Health Workers and Promotores (CHW/Ps) as Core Partners in Vaccinating
- Allow Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Centers (RHCs) to Bill for Vaccination-Only Visits
Making All Vaccines Accessible For All Adults
Expanding who can administer a vaccine–and where they can give it–is just one piece of the puzzle. People also need to be able to access vaccines even if they cannot afford them. We urge Congress to:
- Close the Final Gaps on Medicare Coverage
- Create Additional Opportunities for Physicians to Bill for Vaccines under Medicare Part D
- Raise Awareness of Medicaid Coverage
Ensuring Rare Injuries are Covered and Compensated in a Timely Manner
The U.S. recommends vaccines for the vast majority of people not just because they are effective, but also because they are extensively tested and monitored for their safety. To ensure patients are compensated fairly in the very rare case of a vaccine injury, Congress should:
- Expand the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to All Adults
- Increase Awards to Reflect Inflation
- Ensure an Excise Tax is Added to New Vaccines Swiftly Following CDC Recommendation
- Move COVID-19 Vaccine Compensation to VICP
Increasing Funding to Cover State and Local Needs
Now that emergency funding to combat COVID-19 has been either expended or rescinded by Congress, many state and local health departments are struggling to address lower routine vaccination rates and increased costs. The CDC’s Section 317 Immunization Program provides critical vaccine funding to states, territories, and a few large cities, but it is woefully underfunded. Congress should:
- Increase Section 317 Immunization Program Funding to $1.6 Billion
- Create a Separate Line Item at Indian Health Service for Funding for Vaccines
Raising Awareness of Vaccines
Public health officials often say that vaccines are a victim of their own success. Because many of us have never seen polio or measles, it is easy to think these diseases are not a threat to ourselves or our families. We need trusted voices to help the public understand that routine vaccines are still critical to protecting our individual and country’s health. Members of Congress can:
- Be a Resource to Their Constituents
- Make it Personal
- Hold or Attend Vaccine Events
Read our latest State of the ImmUnion report to learn more.
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