Bill > H0545

This bill authorizes the Commissioner of Health to issue recommendations for immunizations for children and adults, and to create standing orders for these immunizations, which would provide health care professionals with immunity from liability for adverse events unless they acted with gross negligence or intentional misconduct. It also allows the Commissioner to purchase immunizations from either the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or other vendors, and requires health insurers to cover these recommended immunizations without any out-of-pocket costs for individuals, meaning no co-payments, coinsurance, or deductibles. Additionally, the bill modifies the membership of the Vermont Immunization Advisory Council, which provides expert advice on immunization policies and schedules, and clarifies the roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in administering immunizations. Notably, the provisions related to the Commissioner's authority to issue recommendations and the insurance coverage requirements are set to expire on July 1, 2031, at which point the previous recommendations from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and existing insurance coverage rules would be reinstated.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.545