The 2025 State of the ImmUnion Report

We all want to keep our families safe from serious illness. The topic of vaccines has garnered a lot of attention as of late, and it’s more important than ever that we reaffirm the safety of vaccines while continuing efforts to expand access and protect ourselves, our families and our communities from preventable diseases.  

Each year, Vaccinate Your Family publishes a State of the ImmUnion© report detailing the current immunization policy landscape, specific actions policymakers and individuals can take to protect communities from preventable disease outbreaks, and a stark reminder of what’s at stake.  

Read the 2025 State of the ImmUnion Report.

Major Threats Faced Today 

• Access Challenges: Uninsured children are nearly six times less likely to be vaccinated than insured children, increasing their vulnerability to vaccine-preventable diseases. 

• Public Health Costs: Vaccine-preventable diseases in adults over 50 cost the U.S. nearly $27 billion annually. A single measles outbreak in Washington State in 2019 cost $2.3 million, underscoring the financial burden of preventable diseases. 

• Misinformation Crisis: Public skepticism toward vaccines, fueled by rampant misinformation, has led to declining routine immunization rates. This erosion of trust in public health institutions poses a critical challenge to disease prevention efforts. 

• Measles Resurgence: With childhood vaccination exemptions at an all-time high, over 280,000 U.S. children are now vulnerable to measles outbreaks. Already in 2025, major outbreaks are popping up in areas with vaccination rates below the 95% required for community immunity.  

• Severe Flu Season: The 2023-2024 influenza season resulted in approximately 28,000 deaths, including 207 children—most of whom were unvaccinated. Despite vaccines being the best protection against the flu, only 45% of adults and 55% of children received a flu shot. 

Policy Recommendations: Strengthening Our Nation’s Defenses 

To combat these challenges, the State of the ImmUnion report outlines specific actions policymakers should take: 

1. Expand Vaccinators and Vaccination Locations – Increase the number of qualified vaccinators, including community health workers and pharmacists, and allow Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to bill for vaccine counseling and vaccination-only appointments.  
2. Facilitate Increased Access – Expand immunization programs for uninsured children and adults, including closing the final gaps on Medicare coverage, creating additional opportunities for physicians to bill for vaccines under Medicare Part D, and raising awareness of Medicaid coverage.  
3. Increase Public Health Funding – Congress should increase funding for the CDC’s Section 317 Immunization Program to $1.1 billion to ensure state and local health departments can effectively manage vaccination programs and outbreak response. 
4. Modernize the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) – Update the VICP to cover all adults and ensure fair compensation for rare vaccine injuries. 
5. Raise Awareness of the Critical Importance of Lifesaving Vaccines – Share evidence-based information about immunizations to help keep your constituents safe, share your personal story and the choice you’ve made for your family to vaccinate.  

Vaccines have saved millions of lives and prevented trillions of dollars in healthcare costs. Yet, without decisive action to shore up our nation’s vaccination rates, vaccine-preventable diseases will continue to reemerge, putting countless lives at risk. 

Please join us in urging Congress to strengthen vaccine access and public health by sharing the recommendations from our report with them. Complete a quick form to email your members of Congress today.  

Together, we can build a healthier, more resilient nation.  

Read the full report here.