Vaccine Access Fears Rise as Kennedy Administration Reshapes Immunization Policy
Parents across the U.S. are expressing growing anxiety about continued access to routine childhood vaccinations amid significant changes to federal health policy and a reshuffling of key advisory committees, according to pediatricians and health policy experts. The concerns center on potential coverage losses for vaccines, particularly for children covered by Medicaid, and a broader uncertainty surrounding the future of the nation’s immunization schedules.
For two decades, Washington, D.C., pediatrician Lanre Falusi has counseled families on vaccine safety and timing. However, she notes a distinct shift in recent conversations. “For the first time, I’m having parents of newborns ask me if their baby will still be able to get vaccines,” Falusi said.
Throughout the country, pediatricians report a surge in anxious inquiries from parents concerned about maintaining access to essential immunizations. This apprehension is particularly acute for the roughly 4 in 10 children in the United States who rely on Medicaid, the government insurance program for low-income families and individuals with disabilities.
The current climate of uncertainty, many experts say, began when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumed the role of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary. “It really became an issue when RFK Jr. stepped into the role of HHS secretary,” explained Deborah Greenhouse, a pediatrician practicing in South Carolina.
The situation escalated in June with Kennedy’s removal of all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The ACIP is the crucial panel responsible for recommending which vaccines are included in both adult and childhood immunization schedules. Kennedy subsequently appointed new members aligned with his long-held views questioning vaccine safety and efficacy, sparking alarm among medical professionals and public health authorities.
Insurance Coverage Under Scrutiny
The potential for widespread changes to vaccine coverage is a primary source of worry for parents. Jennifer Tolbert, deputy director of the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured at KFF, a national health information nonprofit, emphasized the gravity of the situation. “People should be worried about what’s going to happen to the availability of vaccines for children,” she stated.
Currently, the Affordable Care Act mandates that health insurers cover all vaccines recommended by the ACIP. These recommendations also dictate which vaccines are covered through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, a CDC-funded initiative providing free immunizations to low-income and uninsured children – a population representing half of all children in the U.S.
If the newly appointed ACIP members were to withdraw support for a particular vaccine, and the CDC director concurred, the consequences would be immediate. According to Tolbert, “It would automatically affect what is covered and therefore which vaccines are available to children on Medicaid.”
While health insurance companies have yet to announce any alterations to their coverage policies, Tolbert cautioned that a shift in ACIP recommendations could open the door for private insurers to decline coverage for certain vaccines. Pediatricians are bracing for a future where families may be forced to choose between paying hundreds of dollars out-of-pocket for essential shots or leaving their children unprotected.
However, the health insurance industry group AHIP indicated that health plans “continue to follow federal requirements related to coverage of ACIP-recommended vaccines and will continue to support broad access to critical preventive services, including immunizations.”
Budget Concerns Add to the Uncertainty
Adding to parental anxieties is news surrounding President Trump’s proposed budget law, which is projected to reduce Medicaid spending by approximately $1 trillion over the next decade. While the law itself does not directly address vaccines or alter eligibility for children’s Medicaid, Tolbert explained that reduced federal funding will inevitably force states to make difficult decisions regarding coverage and service offerings.
“And they may do that by cutting eligibility for optional populations or by cutting services that are optional, or by reducing payments to providers in the form of provider rates,” Tolbert said. “It’s unclear how this will play out, and it will likely look different across all states.”
Recent Policy Shifts Fuel Concerns
In May, Kennedy announced via a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the CDC would no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women. This directive prompted a lawsuit filed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other physician groups seeking to halt its implementation.
Furthermore, in June, the new ACIP members voted to recommend against the use of flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a preservative rarely used in some formulations. This decision, driven by long-standing, unsubstantiated claims linking thimerosal to autism, has been vigorously opposed by anti-vaccine activists, including Kennedy himself.
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson, Emily Hilliard, attempted to allay concerns, stating, “There is no cause for concern. As Secretary Kennedy has stated, no one will be denied access to a licensed vaccine if they choose to receive one.” Hilliard further affirmed that flu vaccines would remain accessible and covered, emphasizing their mercury-free status. She also confirmed the continued availability of no-cost COVID-19 vaccines for eligible children through the VFC program and ongoing Medicaid reimbursement for administration fees.
Parents Adjust to a Changing Landscape
Despite these assurances, the possibility of restricted vaccine access is already influencing parental behavior. In Falusi’s practice, parents are now scheduling appointments to coincide precisely with their child’s eligibility dates, sometimes booking appointments in the same week as their birthdays.
Doctors are increasingly worried that reduced access and increased costs will lead to lower vaccination rates and a resurgence of preventable diseases. Melissa Mason, a pediatrician in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has already treated patients with measles during the recent multistate outbreak originating in neighboring Texas. “We’re seeing this outbreak because vaccination rates are too low and it allows measles to spread in the community,” Mason said. She has begun offering the measles vaccine to infants as young as 6 months old, six months earlier than standard practice, though still within federal guidelines.
Nationally, more than 1,300 measles cases, including three deaths, have been reported since January, according to the CDC. Kindergarten vaccination rates declined last year, while the number of children with school vaccination exemptions continues to rise.
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is also on the rise, with over 15,100 cases identified in U.S. residents as of July 5, according to the CDC. This poses a particular threat to infants too young to be vaccinated.
For now, pediatricians are striving to maintain a sense of urgency without causing undue panic. In Columbia, South Carolina, Greenhouse, who previously offered a flexible age range for routine vaccinations, has changed her approach. “I’m not saying that anymore,” she stated. “I now urge parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.” She has even encountered parents inquiring about administering the HPV vaccine, which helps prevent cervical cancer, to children younger than the recommended age of 9.
Greenhouse fears that the time to complete the HPV vaccine series, which requires multiple doses, may run out before insurance coverage is secured. A second dose, if no longer covered, could cost around $300. “I cannot be 100% sure what the future looks like for some of these vaccines,” Greenhouse said. “I can tell you it’s a very scary place to be.”
Kennedy’s newly appointed vaccine advisory committee is scheduled to hold its next public meeting as early as August.
This story comes from NPR’s health reporting partnership KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. It’s one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Copyright 2025 KFF Health News.
