Vermont briefing outlines H.545 to give state health commissioner authority to set vaccine recommendations, preserve no-cost coverage

A legislative briefing on Tuesday detailed H.545 (draft 2.1), a bill that would shift Vermont away from automatic reliance on federal ACIP/CDC vaccine schedules and instead authorize the states commissioner of health to issue "recommended immunizations" for children and adults, the committee heard.

Katie, a legislative counsel reviewing the draft, said the bill replaces statutory references to CDC recommendations with a new process under proposed 11 V.S.A. (11 30a) through which the commissioner would periodically issue recommendations on which immunizations are advised, the ages and doses for each, and other scheduling details after consulting a Vermont advisory council and "considering" guidance from ACIP, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other professional bodies.

The draft preserves the existing state immunization programwhich purchases, distributes and monitors recommended immunizationsand keeps the current insurer reimbursement model, Katie said: insurers would continue to remit the cost of immunizations and an administrative surcharge to the Department of Health for vaccines the commissioner designates, and group and individual health plans would be barred from imposing copayments, coinsurance or deductibles for recommended…