In this session, staff presented a draft chapter on vaccine coverage and access for adults enrolled in Medicaid and shared policy options for future work. The Commission first began exploring issues related to vaccine coverage and access in September 2020. In September 2021, staff shared findings from an analysis of National Health Interview Survey data estimating adult vaccination rates. In October 2021, staff presented findings from stakeholder interviews and described initial policy options based on this work.
The presentation began with an overview of the draft chapter. It described the role of vaccines in promoting public health and summarizes Medicaid coverage requirements for recommended vaccines. Next, it described vaccination rates in Medicaid and highlights several considerations to improve vaccine access for Medicaid enrollees. The second half of the presentation highlighted alternative policy options for improving vaccination rates for adults enrolled in Medicaid. It also described the potential effects of these options on vaccination rates, racial disparities, and spending, along with the operational complexity of implementing these policies.