Sign in Subscribe
Social services

House Democrats Urge Health Insurers to Continue Coverage for ACIP-Recommended Vaccines

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The sudden removal of ACIP members by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his appointment of vaccine opponents to the advisory committee have raised concerns about public health and the potential for insurers to drop coverage of recommended vaccines. In response, House Democrats led by Reps. Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Sean Casten (IL-06) have sent a letter to top health insurance companies urging them to continue providing coverage for vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Key Takeaways:

  • 77 House Democrats, led by Reps. Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Sean Casten (IL-06), have signed a letter to top health insurance companies urging them to continue providing coverage for vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
  • The letter was sent to the CEOs of UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Elevance Health, The Cigna Group, and Health Care Services Corporation.
  • The removal of ACIP members by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his appointment of vaccine opponents to the committee has raised concerns about public health and the potential for insurers to drop coverage of recommended vaccines.
  • ACIP has been assessing immunizations for 60 years and convenes regularly and transparently to discuss its recommendations, but the new appointees may re-evaluate its support for time-tested, safe, and effective vaccines.
  • As of June 2025, insurers subject to preventative services coverage requirements are obligated to provide age-appropriate coverage for high-impact vaccines, including those for COVID-19, hepatitis, HPV, measles, meningitis, flu, pneumonia, RSV, chicken pox, mpox, and shingles.

Statistics:

  • On June 1, 2025, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the sudden ouster of all 17 members of ACIP and pledged to replace them with appointees who would restore "public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda."
  • The CDC and industry alike have historically followed the recommendations of ACIP because the committee is the nonpartisan gold standard voice of public health on issues of immunization.
  • As of June 2025, at the recommendation of ACIP, insurers are obligated to provide age-appropriate coverage for high-impact vaccines, including those for COVID-19, hepatitis, HPV, measles, meningitis, flu, pneumonia, RSV, chicken pox, mpox, and shingles.

Sources:

  • [Source: Reps. Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Sean Casten (IL-06) letter to top health insurance companies, dated June 2025]
  • [Source: Politico, "Insurers put in challenging position as ACIP's recommendations change", dated June 23, 2025]
  • [Source: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) website, accessed June 2025]

Read more