Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 111, sec. 24N — MA Code / Part I / Title XVI / Chapter 111 / Section 24N
Childhood vaccine program; Vaccine Purchase Fund; vaccine program advisory council; surcharge
Status: reserved

Section 24N. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:- "Children'', individuals less than 19 years of age. "Estimated vaccine cost'', the estimated cost over the course of a fiscal year for the purchase, storage and distribution of vaccines for all children in the commonwealth. [ Definition of "Routine childhood immunizations'' effective until November 25, 2025. For text effective November 25, 2025, see below.] "Routine childhood immunizations'', immunizations for children until their nineteenth birthday including: (i) the immunizations recommended by the Vaccines for Children Program and (ii) any immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [ Definition of "Routine childhood immunizations'' as amended by 2025, 73, Sec. 26 effective November 25, 2025. For text effective until November 25, 2025, see above.] "Routine childhood immunizations'', immunizations for children until their nineteenth birthday as determined by the commissioner. "Total nonfederal program cost'', the estimated annual cost of vaccines needed for routine childhood immunizations for children in the commonwealth less the amount of federal revenue available to the commonwealth for purchase, storage, distribution and administration of the vaccines. (b) There shall be a Vaccine Purchase Fund to support a universal purchase system for routine childhood immunizations in the commonwealth. The fund shall be a separate, nonbudgeted special fund to be administered by the commissioner of public health or a designee. The fund shall be credited with: (i) monies transferred from the executive office of health and human services pursuant to section 66 of chapter 118E; (ii) any voluntary contributions to the fund including, but not limited to, contributions from third-party payers or third-party administrators, as defined in section 1 of chapter 12C; and (iii) any interest earnings on such monies. Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended, without further appropriation, to cover the costs to purchase, store and distribute vaccines for routine childhood immunizations and to administer the fund and the immunization registry, established pursuant to section 24M. Funds shall be expended solely to cover total non-federal program costs; provided, however, that the amount to be expended for storing and distributing vaccines for routine childhood immunizations, if such costs are not covered by federal contributions, and for the costs of administering the immunization registry, shall not exceed 10 per cent of the total amount of the fund expended for the purchase of vaccines needed for routine childhood immunizations for all children in the commonwealth. The department may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment, amounts in anticipation of the most recent estimate of expected receipts, as certified by the secretary of administration and finance; provided, however, that no expenditure shall be made from the fund which shall cause the fund to be in deficit at the close of a fiscal year. Any balance in the fund at the close of a fiscal year shall be available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years and shall not be transferred to any other fund or revert to the General Fund. The commissioner of public health or a designee shall annually report the amount of funds collected and any expenditures made from the fund to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public health and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on health care financing. [ Subsection (c) effective until November 25, 2025. For text effective November 25, 2025, see below.] (c) There shall be a vaccine program advisory council consisting of the commissioner of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the medical director of the universal immunization program of the department of public health established under section 24I; the executive director for the center for health information and analysis or a designee; the executive director of the commonwealth health insurance connector authority or a designee; 1 person to be appointed by the director of Medicaid, who shall be a representative of managed care organizations contracting with MassHealth; 3 persons to be appointed by the commissioner of insurance, each of whom shall be a representative of 1 of the 3 health insurance companies having the most insured lives in the commonwealth; and 7 persons to be appointed by the commissioner of public health, 1 of whom shall be a representative of an employer that self-insures for health coverage who shall be appointed from lists of nominees submitted by statewide associations of employers, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians and 3 of whom shall be physicians licensed to practice in the commonwealth and who shall have expertise in the area of childhood vaccines. The council shall recommend the types of vaccines to be purchased based on a list of routine childhood immunizations and shall take into account provider preference, cost, availability and other factors as determined by the council. The council shall recommend the amount of funding needed each fiscal year by calculating the total non-federal program cost. The council shall make recommendations to the commissioner on whether the commissioner may authorize provider choice of more than 1 comparable brand or type for a routine childhood immunization vaccine. In its recommendations, the council shall examine the feasibility, costs and benefits of authorizing provider choice, provide a schedule of the cost of each comparable brand or type of a vaccine recommended for provider choice and demonstrate that the estimated vaccine cost of authorizing provider choice would not be substantially greater than the estimated vaccine cost of purchasing a single brand or type of a vaccine. The commissioner of public health shall determine the final vaccines to be purchased. [ Subsection (c) as amended by 2025, 73, Sec. 27 effective November 25, 2025. For text effective until November 25, 2025, see above.] (c) There shall be a vaccine program advisory council consisting of the commissioner of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the medical director of the universal immunization program of the department of public health established under section 24I; the executive director for the center for health information and analysis or a designee; the executive director of the commonwealth health insurance connector authority or a designee; 1 person to be appointed by the director of Medicaid, who shall be a representative of managed care organizations contracting with MassHealth; 3 persons to be appointed by the commissioner of insurance, each of whom shall be a representative of 1 of the 3 health insurance companies having the most insured lives in the commonwealth; and 7 persons to be appointed by the commissioner of public health, 1 of whom shall be a representative of an employer that self-insures for health coverage who shall be appointed from lists of nominees submitted by statewide associations of employers, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians and 3 of whom shall be physicians licensed to practice in the commonwealth and who shall have expertise in the area of childhood vaccines. The council shall recommend the types of vaccines to be purchased based on a list of routine childhood immunizations and shall take into account provider preference, cost, availability and other factors as determined by the council. The commissioner shall recommend the amount of funding needed each fiscal year by calculating the total non-federal program cost. The council shall make recommendations to the commissioner on whether the commissioner may authorize provider choice of more than 1 comparable brand or type for a routine childhood immunization vaccine. In its recommendations, the council shall examine the feasibility, costs and benefits of authorizing provider choice, provide a schedule of the cost of each comparable brand or type of a vaccine recommended for provider choice and demonstrate that the estimated vaccine cost of authorizing provider choice would not be substantially greater than the estimated vaccine cost of purchasing a single brand or type of a vaccine. The commissioner of public health shall determine the final vaccines to be purchased. The council shall also consider other vaccine-related questions presented by the commissioner. There shall be a committee on immunization recommendations consisting of the following members of the vaccine program advisory council established pursuant to this subsection: the commissioner of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the medical director of the universal immunization program of the department of public health established under section 24I; the member of the Massachusetts Medical Society; the member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; the member of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians; and the 3 physicians licensed to practice in the commonwealth who have expertise in the area of childhood vaccines. The committee shall consider vaccine related questions posed by the commissioner and may make recommendations to and advise the commissioner regarding childhood immunizations. (d) [reserved] (e) The department of public health may adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the universal purchase and distribution system under this chapter and other applicable state and federal laws. The rules and regulations shall establish the system by which vaccines are distributed for children in the commonwealth. [ Subsection (f) effective until November 25, 2025. For text effective November 25, 2025, see below.] (f) Every individual or entity that pays for or arranges for the purchase of health care services provided by acute hospitals and ambulatory surgical center, including managed care organizations, as such term is defined in section 64 of chapter 118E, but excluding Title XVIII and Title XIX programs and their beneficiaries or recipients, other governmental programs of public assistance and their beneficiaries or recipients and the workers' compensation program established under chapter 152, to the extent not preempted by federal law, shall provide benefits for: (i) routine childhood immunizations for residents of the commonwealth; and (ii) immunizations for residents of the commonwealth who are 19 years of age and older according to the most recent schedules recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These benefits shall be exempt from any co federal payment, coinsurance, deductible or dollar limit provisions in the health insurance policy or contract. [ Subsection (f) as amended by 2025, 73, Sec. 28 effective November 25, 2025. For text effective until November 25, 2025, see above.] (f) Every individual or entity that pays for or arranges for the purchase of health care services provided by acute hospitals and ambulatory surgical center, including managed care organizations, as such term is defined in section 64 of chapter 118E, but excluding Title XVIII and Title XIX programs and their beneficiaries or recipients, other governmental programs of public assistance and their beneficiaries or recipients and the workers' compensation program established under chapter 152, to the extent not preempted by federal law, shall provide benefits for: (i) routine childhood immunizations for residents of the commonwealth; and (ii) immunizations for residents of the commonwealth who are 19 years of age and older according to the most recent schedules recommended by the commissioner. These benefits shall be exempt from any co federal payment, coinsurance, deductible or dollar limit provisions in the health insurance policy or contract.

Section 24N. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

"Children'', individuals less than 19 years of age.

"Estimated vaccine cost'', the estimated cost over the course of a fiscal year for the purchase, storage and distribution of vaccines for all children in the commonwealth.

[ Definition of "Routine childhood immunizations'' effective until November 25, 2025. For text effective November 25, 2025, see below.]

"Routine childhood immunizations'', immunizations for children until their nineteenth birthday including: (i) the immunizations recommended by the Vaccines for Children Program and (ii) any immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[ Definition of "Routine childhood immunizations'' as amended by 2025, 73, Sec. 26 effective November 25, 2025. For text effective until November 25, 2025, see above.]

"Routine childhood immunizations'', immunizations for children until their nineteenth birthday as determined by the commissioner.

"Total nonfederal program cost'', the estimated annual cost of vaccines needed for routine childhood immunizations for children in the commonwealth less the amount of federal revenue available to the commonwealth for purchase, storage, distribution and administration of the vaccines.

(b) There shall be a Vaccine Purchase Fund to support a universal purchase system for routine childhood immunizations in the commonwealth. The fund shall be a separate, nonbudgeted special fund to be administered by the commissioner of public health or a designee. The fund shall be credited with: (i) monies transferred from the executive office of health and human services pursuant to section 66 of chapter 118E; (ii) any voluntary contributions to the fund including, but not limited to, contributions from third-party payers or third-party administrators, as defined in section 1 of chapter 12C; and (iii) any interest earnings on such monies. Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended, without further appropriation, to cover the costs to purchase, store and distribute vaccines for routine childhood immunizations and to administer the fund and the immunization registry, established pursuant to section 24M. Funds shall be expended solely to cover total non-federal program costs; provided, however, that the amount to be expended for storing and distributing vaccines for routine childhood immunizations, if such costs are not covered by federal contributions, and for the costs of administering the immunization registry, shall not exceed 10 per cent of the total amount of the fund expended for the purchase of vaccines needed for routine childhood immunizations for all children in the commonwealth. The department may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment, amounts in anticipation of the most recent estimate of expected receipts, as certified by the secretary of administration and finance; provided, however, that no expenditure shall be made from the fund which shall cause the fund to be in deficit at the close of a fiscal year. Any balance in the fund at the close of a fiscal year shall be available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years and shall not be transferred to any other fund or revert to the General Fund. The commissioner of public health or a designee shall annually report the amount of funds collected and any expenditures made from the fund to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public health and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on health care financing.

[ Subsection (c) effective until November 25, 2025. For text effective November 25, 2025, see below.]

(c) There shall be a vaccine program advisory council consisting of the commissioner of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the medical director of the universal immunization program of the department of public health established under section 24I; the executive director for the center for health information and analysis or a designee; the executive director of the commonwealth health insurance connector authority or a designee; 1 person to be appointed by the director of Medicaid, who shall be a representative of managed care organizations contracting with MassHealth; 3 persons to be appointed by the commissioner of insurance, each of whom shall be a representative of 1 of the 3 health insurance companies having the most insured lives in the commonwealth; and 7 persons to be appointed by the commissioner of public health, 1 of whom shall be a representative of an employer that self-insures for health coverage who shall be appointed from lists of nominees submitted by statewide associations of employers, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians and 3 of whom shall be physicians licensed to practice in the commonwealth and who shall have expertise in the area of childhood vaccines. The council shall recommend the types of vaccines to be purchased based on a list of routine childhood immunizations and shall take into account provider preference, cost, availability and other factors as determined by the council. The council shall recommend the amount of funding needed each fiscal year by calculating the total non-federal program cost. The council shall make recommendations to the commissioner on whether the commissioner may authorize provider choice of more than 1 comparable brand or type for a routine childhood immunization vaccine. In its recommendations, the council shall examine the feasibility, costs and benefits of authorizing provider choice, provide a schedule of the cost of each comparable brand or type of a vaccine recommended for provider choice and demonstrate that the estimated vaccine cost of authorizing provider choice would not be substantially greater than the estimated vaccine cost of purchasing a single brand or type of a vaccine. The commissioner of public health shall determine the final vaccines to be purchased.

[ Subsection (c) as amended by 2025, 73, Sec. 27 effective November 25, 2025. For text effective until November 25, 2025, see above.]

(c) There shall be a vaccine program advisory council consisting of the commissioner of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the medical director of the universal immunization program of the department of public health established under section 24I; the executive director for the center for health information and analysis or a designee; the executive director of the commonwealth health insurance connector authority or a designee; 1 person to be appointed by the director of Medicaid, who shall be a representative of managed care organizations contracting with MassHealth; 3 persons to be appointed by the commissioner of insurance, each of whom shall be a representative of 1 of the 3 health insurance companies having the most insured lives in the commonwealth; and 7 persons to be appointed by the commissioner of public health, 1 of whom shall be a representative of an employer that self-insures for health coverage who shall be appointed from lists of nominees submitted by statewide associations of employers, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 of whom shall be a member of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians and 3 of whom shall be physicians licensed to practice in the commonwealth and who shall have expertise in the area of childhood vaccines. The council shall recommend the types of vaccines to be purchased based on a list of routine childhood immunizations and shall take into account provider preference, cost, availability and other factors as determined by the council. The commissioner shall recommend the amount of funding needed each fiscal year by calculating the total non-federal program cost. The council shall make recommendations to the commissioner on whether the commissioner may authorize provider choice of more than 1 comparable brand or type for a routine childhood immunization vaccine. In its recommendations, the council shall examine the feasibility, costs and benefits of authorizing provider choice, provide a schedule of the cost of each comparable brand or type of a vaccine recommended for provider choice and demonstrate that the estimated vaccine cost of authorizing provider choice would not be substantially greater than the estimated vaccine cost of purchasing a single brand or type of a vaccine. The commissioner of public health shall determine the final vaccines to be purchased. The council shall also consider other vaccine-related questions presented by the commissioner.

There shall be a committee on immunization recommendations consisting of the following members of the vaccine program advisory council established pursuant to this subsection: the commissioner of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the medical director of the universal immunization program of the department of public health established under section 24I; the member of the Massachusetts Medical Society; the member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; the member of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians; and the 3 physicians licensed to practice in the commonwealth who have expertise in the area of childhood vaccines. The committee shall consider vaccine related questions posed by the commissioner and may make recommendations to and advise the commissioner regarding childhood immunizations.

(d) [reserved]

(e) The department of public health may adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the universal purchase and distribution system under this chapter and other applicable state and federal laws. The rules and regulations shall establish the system by which vaccines are distributed for children in the commonwealth.

[ Subsection (f) effective until November 25, 2025. For text effective November 25, 2025, see below.]

(f) Every individual or entity that pays for or arranges for the purchase of health care services provided by acute hospitals and ambulatory surgical center, including managed care organizations, as such term is defined in section 64 of chapter 118E, but excluding Title XVIII and Title XIX programs and their beneficiaries or recipients, other governmental programs of public assistance and their beneficiaries or recipients and the workers' compensation program established under chapter 152, to the extent not preempted by federal law, shall provide benefits for: (i) routine childhood immunizations for residents of the commonwealth; and (ii) immunizations for residents of the commonwealth who are 19 years of age and older according to the most recent schedules recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These benefits shall be exempt from any co federal payment, coinsurance, deductible or dollar limit provisions in the health insurance policy or contract.

[ Subsection (f) as amended by 2025, 73, Sec. 28 effective November 25, 2025. For text effective until November 25, 2025, see above.]

(f) Every individual or entity that pays for or arranges for the purchase of health care services provided by acute hospitals and ambulatory surgical center, including managed care organizations, as such term is defined in section 64 of chapter 118E, but excluding Title XVIII and Title XIX programs and their beneficiaries or recipients, other governmental programs of public assistance and their beneficiaries or recipients and the workers' compensation program established under chapter 152, to the extent not preempted by federal law, shall provide benefits for: (i) routine childhood immunizations for residents of the commonwealth; and (ii) immunizations for residents of the commonwealth who are 19 years of age and older according to the most recent schedules recommended by the commissioner. These benefits shall be exempt from any co federal payment, coinsurance, deductible or dollar limit provisions in the health insurance policy or contract.