IDSA recently endorsed two critical bills addressing vaccine financing sponsored by a leading legislator on health issues

The Vaccines for Children Access Act of 2008 (H.R. 4990) would expand the category of children and adolescents who are eligible for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program to include the under-insured who are vaccinated at any public health clinic.  The VFC program is federally funded and provides vaccines to all eligible children, through the age of 18, who might not otherwise be able to afford them.

The Vaccines for the Uninsured Adult Act of 2008 (H.R. 4993) would establish a Vaccines for Uninsured Adults Program (VFUA), providing routinely recommended vaccines to eligible adults, and would be modeled on the successful VFC program. 

On a related front, at a recent meeting of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC), IDSA urged the Committee to recommend expanding VFC eligibility and also to support adding an administration fee so that health care providers are adequately reimbursed for vaccinating children and adolescents. 
NVAC provides recommendations for vaccine policy to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Both pieces of legislation were sponsored by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA).   IDSA’s letter of support to Rep. Waxman is available online.

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