Rep. Eshoo Leads Members in Urging HHS to Update Regulations Preventing Americans from Accessing Vaccines At No Cost

Washington, D.C. - Representatives Anna G. Eshoo (CA-16), Larry Bucshon (R-IN), David Trone (D-MD), and John Garamendi (D-CA) sent a letter urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to work with the Departments of the Treasury and Labor to update current regulations on vaccine access for Americans with commercial health insurance. The letter asks the Departments to address the flawed interpretation of the law which allows commercial insurance companies to charge patients for vaccines that Congress intended to be free. Over the past year, the Departments met with stakeholders regarding recommendations to amend preventive services regulations, but they have not yet acted.

Current regulations on vaccine coverage for Americans with commercial health insurance limit access to no-cost "routine" vaccines listed in one of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Immunization Schedules. This is in clear conflict with Congress' intent to provide broad based coverage of all CDC-recommended vaccines.

The Members wrote, "Important, non-routine occupational, outbreak, and travel vaccines recommended by CDC, such as vaccines to prevent rabies, dengue, and Japanese Encephalitis, are not covered by payors without patient cost-sharing. HHS and the other Departments should address the flawed interpretation of the law at the next appropriate regulatory opportunity to close the loophole preventing Americans from accessing no-cost vaccines."

The Members continued, "This is a barrier for those who need these vaccines to be safe at work in the United States or abroad, such as veterinary technicians or federal government employees located overseas."

The Members urged HHS, the Departments of Treasury and Labor "to take swift action to align regulations with the current statutory mandate to ensure broad-based coverage without cost-sharing at the next appropriate regulatory opportunity."

You can read the full letter here.