At the end of last year, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began slashing the number of vaccines recommended for children. The decisions at the federal level could impact insurance coverage for immunizations and access for those who want it.
Because of this, the state Legislature is considering a measure that would preserve insurance coverage for preventative service recommendations before the changes were made.
Hawaiʻi Department of Health Director Kenneth Fink told lawmakers that it would not impact costs to insurance companies, which already provide coverage for the vaccinations.
“ The intent of this measure is to preserve access ... All those benefits that this would ensure preservation of access to are already covered — they're already incorporated into insurance rates, cost of insurance plans,” he said.
“The concern from a cost perspective is if vaccination rates go down and there's more illness, you are more likely to see visits for illness, hospitalizations for illness, which are far more expensive. Those may drive up health insurance rates, not vaccinations.”
The measure would also allow the Department of Health to make recommendations for required immunizations if it were required by the CDC by July 2025.
While a recent court order has paused the CDC's changes, Fink emphasized the need for the state to have a system in place to ensure access to vaccines.
“ A recent court decision has stayed those recommendations, but the risk is that those recommendations may end up being in effect … because those recommendations do not routinely recommend certain vaccines,” he said.
“ If the [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] no longer recommends it, it no longer is available without cost-sharing. So these decisions now at the ACIP, the recent ones, are actually removing choice for individuals. Those who would choose to get vaccinated would not have access to it without cost-sharing. They've removed that choice. This is intended to preserve choice to access of those preventive services without cost sharing for those who choose to receive them.”
Currently, the AHIP, the national trade organization for commercial health insurers, has committed to maintain no cost-sharing for the vaccinations through 2026. Its members in Hawaiʻi include University Health Alliance and Kaiser Permanente.
The measure is awaiting a third vote by the full House.
