State Policies on Access to Vaccination Services for Low-Income Adults

Journal Article · Mon Apr 27 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · JAMA Network Open

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3316· OSTI ID:1905022

Granade, Charleigh J. ^[1]; McCord, Russell F. ^[2]; Bhatti, Alexandra A. ^[3]; Lindley, Megan C. ^[4]

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1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA (United States). National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); IHRC Inc., Atlanta, GA (United States); OSTI
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA (United States). Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support; Cherokee Nation Assurance, Arlington, VA (United States)
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA (United States). Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support; Cherokee Nation Assurance, Arlington, VA (United States); Merck & Co., Inc., North Wales, PA (United States)
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA (United States). National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

Importance State vaccination benefits coverage and access for adult Medicaid beneficiaries vary substantially. Multiple studies have documented lower vaccination uptake in publicly insured adults compared with privately insured adults. Objective To evaluate adult Medicaid beneficiaries’ access to adult immunization services through review of vaccination benefits coverage in Medicaid programs across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Design, Setting, and Participants A public domain document review with supplemental semistructured telephone survey was conducted between June 1, 2018, and June 14, 2019, to evaluate vaccination services benefits in fee-for-service and managed care organization arrangements for adult Medicaid beneficiaries in the 50 states and the District of Columbia (total, 51 Medicaid programs). Exposures Document review of benefits coverage for adult immunization services and supplemental survey with validation of document review findings. Main Outcomes and Measures Benefits coverage for adult Medicaid beneficiaries and reimbursement amounts for vaccine purchase and administration. Results Public domain document review was completed for all 51 jurisdictions. Among these, 44 Medicaid programs (86%) validated document review findings and completed the survey. Only 22 Medicaid programs (43%) covered all 13 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices–recommended adult immunizations under both fee-for-service and managed care organization arrangements. Most fee-for-service arrangements (37 of 49) reimbursed health care professionals using any of the 4 approved vaccine administration codes; however, 8 of 49 programs did not separately reimburse for vaccine administration to adult Medicaid beneficiaries. Depending on administration route, median reimbursement for adult vaccine administration ranged from $$\$$9.81$ to $$\$$13.98$ per dose. Median per-dose reimbursement for adult vaccine purchase was highest for 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine ($$\$$204.87$) and lowest for Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine ($$\$$18.09$). Median reimbursement was below the private sector price for 7 of the 13 included vaccines. Conclusions and Relevance Even in programs with complete vaccination benefits coverage, reimbursement amounts to health care professionals for vaccine purchase and administration may not fully cover vaccination provision costs. Reimbursement amounts below costs may reduce incentives for health care professionals to vaccinate low-income adults and thereby limit Medicaid adult beneficiary access to vaccination.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0014664
• OSTI ID: 1905022
• Journal Information: JAMA Network Open, Journal Name: JAMA Network Open Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 3; ISSN 2574-3805
• Publisher: American Medical Association
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
General & Internal Medicine