Bill · H.R. 5448· House(119-HR-5448)
Protecting Free Vaccines Act
- Introduced
- 9/18/2025
- Last activity
- 9/18/2025 — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sponsored by
- Frank Pallone
- Cosponsors
- - 83 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Protecting Free Vaccines Act" aims to ensure coverage for specific immunizations. It requires group health plans and health insurance issuers to cover certain vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This mandate applies to immunizations that had a recommendation in effect as of October 25, 2024. The bill also directs coverage requirements for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program through the end of 2029. These provisions include updated or changed vaccines approved by the FDA.
Yes· 3 of 12
Would children be better off under this?+5
The bill ensures children in the CHIP and Medicaid programs have guaranteed coverage for recommended vaccines through 2029.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+5
The bill increases access to essential immunizations by prohibiting cost-sharing for various health plans and public programs.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+4
Low-income households benefit from expanded vaccine coverage through Medicaid and CHIP without cost-sharing requirements.
The opposite
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-1
The mandate for vaccine coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP may increase federal expenditures through the end of 2029.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Reduced Out-of-Pocket Costs: Group health plans and health insurance issuers would be prohibited from imposing cost-sharing requirements for specific immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as of October 25, 2024 (Section 2(a)(1)(A)).
-
Expanded Medicaid Benefits: Medicaid coverage would include vaccines and their administration that were recommended by the advisory committee as of October 25, 2024 (Section 2(c)(1)(A)).
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Support for Pregnant Individuals: The bill adds medical assistance for specific vaccines and their administration for pregnant individuals under Medicaid (Section 2(c)(2)).
-
Protection for Pediatric Vaccines: Medicaid provisions ensure that providers do not take into account changes in schedules that remove a recommendation for a pediatric vaccine if it was recommended as of October 25, 2024 (Section 2(c)(3)(A)).
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Guaranteed CHIP Coverage: The Children's Health Insurance Program must include coverage for vaccines and their administration that were recommended by the advisory committee as of October 25, 2024 (Section 2(d)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Time-Limited Coverage: The requirements for coverage regarding immunizations under several programs, including group health plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP, are set to end on or before January 1, 2030 (Sections 2(a)(1)(A), 2(c)(1)(A), 2(c)(3)(B), and 2(d)(1)).
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Restrictions on Timing: The coverage requirements for immunizations do not apply if the immunization is administered during the minimum interval established under section 2713(b) (Sections 2(a)(1)(B), 2(a)(2)(A), and 2(a)(3)(A)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+5Good For Low Income Households+4Good For Seniors+3Good For Women+3Good For Middle Class Households+2
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+5Improves Pandemic Preparedness+2Increases Medicaid Funding+2Increases Medicare Funding+2Increases Affordable Care Act Support+1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+2Improves Poverty Reduction+1
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending-1
- 9/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/4/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/3/2026
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 5/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/9/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/21/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/19/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/7/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 11/4/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/31/2025
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 10/28/2025
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 10/21/2025
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 10/17/2025
- 8 Cosponsors added.
- 10/14/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/8/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 10/6/2025
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 10/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/30/2025
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- 9/26/2025
- 8 Cosponsors added.
- 9/23/2025
- 22 Cosponsors added.
- 9/19/2025
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- 9/18/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jake AuchinclossDemocrat · Massachusetts
Gabe AmoDemocrat · Rhode Island
Yassamin AnsariDemocrat · Arizona
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Joyce BeattyDemocrat · Ohio
Nanette BarragánDemocrat · California
Nikki BudzinskiDemocrat · Illinois
Becca BalintDemocrat · Vermont
Janelle BynumDemocrat · Oregon
Kathy CastorDemocrat · Florida
Yvette ClarkeDemocrat · New York
Steve CohenDemocrat · Tennessee
Gilbert CisnerosDemocrat · California
Troy CarterDemocrat · Louisiana
Herbert ConawayDemocrat · New Jersey
Danny DavisDemocrat · Illinois
Christopher DeluzioDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Suzan DelBeneDemocrat · Washington
Debbie DingellDemocrat · Michigan
Sharice DavidsDemocrat · Kansas
Maxine DexterDemocrat · Oregon
Sarah ElfrethDemocrat · Maryland
Lois FrankelDemocrat · Florida
Lizzie FletcherDemocrat · Texas
Maxwell FrostDemocrat · Florida
Laura FriedmanDemocrat · California
John GaramendiDemocrat · California
Jesús GarcíaDemocrat · Illinois
Daniel GoldmanDemocrat · New York
Jahana HayesDemocrat · Connecticut
Glenn IveyDemocrat · Maryland
Pramila JayapalDemocrat · Washington
Jonathan JacksonDemocrat · Illinois
William KeatingDemocrat · Massachusetts
Robin KellyDemocrat · Illinois
Sydney Kamlager-DoveDemocrat · California
John LarsonDemocrat · Connecticut
Mike LevinDemocrat · California
Greg LandsmanDemocrat · Ohio
George LatimerDemocrat · New York
James McGovernDemocrat · Massachusetts
Doris MatsuiDemocrat · California
Seth MoultonDemocrat · Massachusetts
Joseph MorelleDemocrat · New York
Frank MrvanDemocrat · Indiana
Seth MagazinerDemocrat · Rhode Island
Kevin MullinDemocrat · California
Robert MenendezDemocrat · New Jersey
Jennifer McClellanDemocrat · Virginia
April McClain DelaneyDemocrat · Maryland
Sarah McBrideDemocrat · Delaware
Dave MinDemocrat · California
Jerrold NadlerDemocrat · New York
Richard NealDemocrat · Massachusetts
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Donald NorcrossDemocrat · New Jersey
Joe NeguseDemocrat · Colorado
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezDemocrat · New York
Chellie PingreeDemocrat · Maine
Scott PetersDemocrat · California
Brittany PettersenDemocrat · Colorado
Mike QuigleyDemocrat · Illinois
Deborah RossDemocrat · North Carolina
Jamie RaskinDemocrat · Maryland
Emily RandallDemocrat · Washington
Robert ScottDemocrat · Virginia
Janice SchakowskyDemocrat · Illinois
Terri SewellDemocrat · Alabama
Darren SotoDemocrat · Florida
Mary Gay ScanlonDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Kim SchrierDemocrat · Washington
Lateefah SimonDemocrat · California
Mike ThompsonDemocrat · California
Paul TonkoDemocrat · New York
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Lori TrahanDemocrat · Massachusetts
Ritchie TorresDemocrat · New York
Shri ThanedarDemocrat · Michigan
Lauren UnderwoodDemocrat · Illinois
Nydia VelázquezDemocrat · New York
Debbie Wasserman SchultzDemocrat · Florida
George WhitesidesDemocrat · California
James WalkinshawDemocrat · Virginia