BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey has announced a series of measures to ensure that vaccines remain available to Massachusetts residents of all ages, over concerns that President Trump and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are restricting access to vaccines and making cuts to public health across the country.
The state is requiring insurance carriers to continue to cover vaccines recommended by the Mass Department of Public Health, and to “not rely solely on CDC recommendations”. Massachusetts “is the first state in the nation to guarantee insurance coverage of vaccines recommended by the state,” according to Healey’s office which adds that the action is supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and the MA Association of Health Plans.
According to a press release:
This will ensure that Massachusetts residents can afford the vaccines they need and want to keep themselves and others healthy, even if the federal government issues narrower recommendations. These include respiratory virus vaccines, like COVID, flu and RSV, and routine vaccines for children, like measles, chickenpox, and Hepatitis B. This action follows legislation filed by Governor Healey last month that would give DPH authority to set independent standards for vaccine purchasing and recommendations.
“As an infectious disease physician, I have seen the extraordinary impact vaccines have had in saving lives and preventing serious illness. Limiting access to vaccines is not just shortsighted – it is reckless,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein.
The public health commissioner has also issued an order to allow pharmacies to continue providing COVID shots to residents five and older, citing reports that CVS and Walgreens could not offer the COVID vaccine in multiple states, including Massachusetts, because the federal government was no longer recommending it for adults.
The Healey Administration is also working to create a public health collaboration with states in New England and across the Northeast “committed to safeguarding public health as the federal government backs away from its responsibilities. This multi-state collaborative is focused on developing evidence-based recommendations on vaccinations, disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and supporting state public health labs.”
By Jim McCabe, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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