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Health Department details vaccine purchasing program, coverage limits and funding sources
Summary
Officials detailed the Vermont Vaccine Purchasing Program, its funding through insurer assessments and special funds, the program's role in high K–12 vaccination rates, and limitations for adults 65+ and Medicare coverage.
Commissioner Mark Levine and Financial Director Paul Daley described the Vermont Vaccine Purchasing Program to the Appropriations Committee, calling it a longtime state program that purchases vaccines through a federal contract and supplies them to providers at no charge for children and many adults under age 65.
Daley said the program allows the state to buy vaccines at federal contract rates and that it is funded in part by assessments on insurers covering Vermont lives and by the state's immunization special fund. He said the program contributes to high immunization rates: "If you look at the 2023–2024 school year, 94 percent of Vermont's K through 12 students were fully immunized in that year."
Committee members pressed staff on federal help and vaccine coverage for older adults. Daley said the program receives federal immunization grants that pay most program staff and in-kind support through the Vaccines for Children program. He explained that the state program does not provide vaccine at no charge for adults 65 and older; those vaccines are billed to Medicare in standard practice.
Daley provided figures for the vaccine program budget lines that the committee identified during questioning. He said the total vaccine program amount is about $15,700,000 in the budget materials and explained increases related to adding shingles and COVID vaccines for adult Medicaid coverage.
A member asked whether Medicare participates in purchasing through the state program; Daley said Medicare has historically declined to participate as a covered insurer, and states continue to discuss broader coverage with federal authorities.
Ending: Committee members asked for continued detail on the program's exposure and the department said it would provide follow-up information as requested.
