Vaccine Access for Adults Enrolled in Medicaid

In Chapter 2, MACPAC focuses on vaccine access for adults enrolled in Medicaid. Adult Medicaid beneficiaries have lower vaccination rates than those covered by private insurance across nearly all vaccines, in large part due to limited coverage. The difference in vaccination rates among pregnant women is particularly stark. The rate for influenza vaccination was almost 21 percentage points lower for pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid than it was for those enrolled in private insurance. While mandatory coverage for all vaccines is a necessary first step to ensuring vaccine access and preventing illness, hospitalization, and death from vaccine-preventable diseases, coverage alone may not be sufficient to improve vaccination rates significantly. The chapter highlights several policy considerations to improve vaccine access for Medicaid beneficiaries. The Commission will continue evaluating these options with an eye toward publishing additional findings and recommendations in our June 2022 report.