A federal advisory panel responsible for U.S. vaccine recommendations is facing significant skepticism. On Wednesday, the chairman of the Senate health committee publicly questioned its credibility, and major health insurers announced they would continue to cover routine vaccinations even if the panel suggested limiting their use.
These developments highlight a growing lack of trust in what has historically been a highly respected scientific body: the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This committee’s members typically advise the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccination policies.
The ACIP is scheduled to convene on Thursday and Friday to discuss recommendations for three crucial childhood vaccines: those for COVID-19, hepatitis B, and measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. Some current advisors have openly expressed doubts about the safety and widespread application of these vaccines.
Dr. Richard Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the CDC, praised the insurers’ stance. “It’s a very positive step that the insurance industry is calling this travesty for what it is, rather than accepting the current A.C.I.P. will be able to protect the health of the patients they are responsible for,” he stated.
In June, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced the committee’s 17 long-standing members with new advisors, many of whom share his skepticism regarding vaccines.
Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and chairman of the Senate health committee, declared on Wednesday that if the newly appointed panelists were to alter the standard childhood vaccine schedule, Americans should not trust their conclusions.
Earlier that day, at a Congressional hearing, Susan Monarez, who was dismissed as CDC director in August, informed senators that Secretary Kennedy had expressed his intention to revise the standard childhood vaccination schedule.
Senator Cassidy, a physician specializing in liver diseases, has publicly voiced concerns that the advisory body is losing its credibility under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership. He pointed out that vaccinating newborns against hepatitis B, for example, has dramatically reduced the annual number of children suffering from liver disease from 20,000 to approximately 20.
Despite the advisory panel having recommended the hepatitis B shot for newborns for decades, Secretary Kennedy and some conservative politicians have cast doubt on its necessity at birth.
Senator Cassidy warned that if the panel were to remove the hepatitis B shot from the recommended childhood vaccines, patients would be forced to pay for it out of pocket, leading many to forgo the immunization. “The challenge of this is that insurance won’t cover it, so it becomes a financial hardship,” he explained, emphasizing the need to balance a patient’s financial burden with their health.
Andrew G. Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, refuted the notion that the advisory committee would modify vaccine recommendations without robust scientific evidence.
He affirmed that any decision would be approved by the acting CDC director, Jim O’Neill, and would be “based on the latest available science.” Mr. O’Neill, a former Silicon Valley executive, was appointed after Dr. Monarez’s firing and lacks medical or scientific training.
In a significant move to reassure the public during the fall vaccination season, AHIP, a prominent health insurer trade group, announced that its members would continue to cover vaccines even if the CDC no longer recommended them.
“Health plans are committed to maintaining and ensuring affordable access to vaccines,” the insurers declared in their statement.
They added, “While health plans continue to operate in an environment shaped by federal and state laws, as well as program and customer requirements, the evidence-based approach to coverage of immunizations will remain consistent.”
This decision by insurers mirrors similar actions taken by various states and medical organizations, which are considering bypassing the committee’s recommendations due to concerns about their scientific basis.
Tom Frieden, a former CDC director, described the insurers’ announcement as a “huge vote of no confidence,” suggesting it reflects their interest in preventing costly illnesses by ensuring their customers receive vaccinations. He remarked, “No one has done anything like this before.”
The insurers, including those offering private Medicare plans, committed to covering vaccines recommended by the federal committee as of September 1, 2025.
UnitedHealthcare, the largest insurer in the nation and not an AHIP member, chose not to comment directly on the trade group’s actions. Instead, it issued its own statement, affirming its commitment “to enabling access to safe, effective and affordable care, including coverage for vaccinations.”
United advised customers to review their individual plans but noted that commercial plans would generally “continue to cover claims for Covid-19 vaccines and many of the typical school vaccines, such as M.M.R., tetanus, diphtheria and polio with no cost share.”
While major insurers are likely to maintain coverage, some employers and smaller insurers might still adhere to any new, potentially more restrictive, recommendations from the committee.
The insurers’ approach to COVID-19 vaccines will probably align with evolving federal guidance, yet many individuals will still find their immunizations covered.
Parents can continue to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19 in consultation with their physicians, and insurers will cover the costs without requiring out-of-pocket payments.
However, Medicaid plans, which serve low-income individuals and rely on federal and state funding, may impose differing requirements based on state policies. Children enrolled in the government’s Vaccines for Children Program might also face coverage limitations.
States themselves are increasingly charting their own courses. Officials in New York and other regions have issued executive orders to guarantee access to COVID-19 vaccines, and a coalition of Western states has formed a health alliance to develop its own recommendations. This alliance has already published its guidelines for various respiratory illnesses, with a similar group of Northeastern states, including New York, also establishing its own alliance.