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Committee backs staff request to seek larger health-plan contributions for statewide immunization system
Summary
Legislative staff and department officials discussed voluntary health-plan contributions to Utah's Immunization Information System and recommended the department propose steps to increase plan contributions; the committee supported the staff recommendation as part of a package vote.
Legislative staff and Health and Human Services officials asked the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee to consider ways to increase voluntary contributions from health plans to Utah's statewide immunization information system.
Russell Franzen said the system has historically received voluntary contributions from insurers because the registry helps plans meet federal reporting requirements for health-care effectiveness measures; the amounts have ranged year to year from about $40,000 (2023, from four plans) to about $235,000 in a prior year. For the most recent year cited in committee materials, contributions totaled about $190,000, and department staff said they were exploring steps to increase that amount.
Agency witnesses told the committee that expanded and more stable contributions help sustain the registry's operation and that the department is working to increase access for individuals through a new app and to make it easier for health plans to request data. Staff recommended that DHHS report by Oct. 1, 2025 on suggested steps to increase plan contributions; the committee adopted that recommendation as part of a package of four items.
Why it matters: the statewide immunization registry is used by providers and plans for vaccine records and federal reporting; growing voluntary plan contributions could reduce reliance on state or federal funds and improve registry maintenance.
