I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5448 
To require coverage of certain immunizations recommended by the Advisory 
Committee on Immunization Practices under the Medicare program, the 
Medicaid program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, group 
health plans, and health insurance coverage. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 18, 2025 
Mr. PALLONE (for himself, Mr. NEAL, and Mr. SCOTT of Virginia) introduced 
the following bill; which was 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 with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require coverage of certain immunizations recommended 
by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 
under the Medicare program, the Medicaid program, the 
Children’s Health Insurance Program, group health 
plans, and health insurance coverage. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Free Vac-
cines Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REQUIRING COVERAGE OF CERTAIN IMMUNIZA-
TIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES. 
(a) GROUP HEALTH PLANS AND HEALTH INSUR-
ANCE COVERAGE.— 
(1) PHSA.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Part D of title XXVII 
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
300gg–111 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 2799A–11. COVERAGE OF CERTAIN IMMUNIZATIONS 
RECOMMENDED BY THE ADVISORY COM-
MITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—With respect to plan years occur-
ring during the date of the enactment of this section, or 
beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this 
section and before January 1, 2030, a group health plan 
and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual 
health insurance coverage shall provide coverage for and 
shall not impose any cost sharing requirements for immu-
nizations that had in effect a recommendation from the 
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect 
to the individual involved as of October 25, 2024, includ-
ing such an immunization as updated or changed after 
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that date under a supplement to a biologics license appli-
cation approved by the Food and Drug Administration. 
‘‘(b) SPECIAL RULE.—Subsection (a) shall not apply 
in the case of an immunization administered during the 
minimum interval established under section 2713(b) with 
respect to such immunization.’’. 
(B) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
1302(e)(1)(B)(i) of the Patient Protection and 
Affordable 
Care 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
18022(e)(1)(B)(i)) is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 2713’’ and inserting ‘‘sections 2713 and 
2799A–11 of the Public Health Service Act’’. 
(2) ERISA.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Subpart B of part 7 of 
subtitle B of title I of the Employee Retirement 
Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1185 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 726. COVERAGE OF CERTAIN IMMUNIZATIONS REC-
OMMENDED BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—With respect to plan years occur-
ring during the date of the enactment of this section, or 
beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this 
section and before January 1, 2030, a group health plan 
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and a health insurance issuer offering group health insur-
ance coverage shall provide coverage for and shall not im-
pose any cost sharing requirements for immunizations 
that had in effect a recommendation from the Advisory 
Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention with respect to the indi-
vidual involved as of October 25, 2024, including such an 
immunization as updated or changed after that date under 
a supplement to a biologics license application approved 
by the Food and Drug Administration. 
‘‘(b) SPECIAL RULE.—Subsection (a) shall not apply 
in the case of an immunization administered during the 
minimum interval established under section 2713(b) of the 
Public Health Service Act with respect to such immuniza-
tion.’’. 
(B) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents in section 1 of the Employee Retire-
ment Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 
1001 note) is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 725 the following new 
item: 
‘‘Sec. 726. Coverage of certain immunizations recommended by the Advisory 
Committee on Immunization Practices.’’. 
(3) IRC.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter B of chap-
ter 100 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
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is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 9826. COVERAGE OF CERTAIN IMMUNIZATIONS REC-
OMMENDED BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—With respect to plan years occur-
ring during the date of the enactment of this section, or 
beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this 
section and before January 1, 2030, a group health plan 
shall provide coverage for and shall not impose any cost 
sharing requirements for immunizations that had in effect 
a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Im-
munization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention with respect to the individual involved as 
of October 25, 2024, including such an immunization as 
updated or changed after that date under a supplement 
to a biologics license application approved by the Food and 
Drug Administration. 
‘‘(b) SPECIAL RULE.—Subsection (a) shall not apply 
in the case of an immunization administered during the 
minimum interval established under section 2713(b) of the 
Public Health Service Act with respect to such immuniza-
tion.’’. 
(B) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of 
sections for subchapter B of chapter 100 of the 
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Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by 
adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 9826. Coverage of certain immunizations recommended by the Advisory 
Committee on Immunization Practices.’’. 
(b) MEDICARE.—Section 1860D–2(b)(8)(B) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–102(b)(8)(B)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘with recommendations’’ and in-
serting ‘‘with— 
‘‘(i) recommendations’’; 
(2) by striking the period at the end and insert-
ing ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(ii) for plan years occurring during 
the date of the enactment of this clause, or 
beginning on or after the date of the enact-
ment of this clause and before January 1, 
2030, in the case of a vaccine with respect 
to which such a recommendation is revoked 
with respect to the individual involved on 
or after October 25, 2024, including such 
a vaccine as updated or changed after that 
date under a supplement to a biologics li-
cense application approved by the Food 
and Drug Administration, the most recent 
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(i) striking ‘‘section 1928(c)(2)(B)(i)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘clause 
(i) 
of 
section 
1928(c)(2)(B)’’; and 
(ii) inserting ‘‘, subject to the limita-
tion described in clause (iii) of such sec-
tion’’ after ‘‘pediatric vaccines’’. 
(2) COVERAGE FOR PREGNANT INDIVIDUALS.— 
Section 1902(a)(10) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)) is amended in the matter fol-
lowing subparagraph (G) by inserting ‘‘medical as-
sistance 
for 
vaccines 
described 
in 
section 
1905(a)(13)(B) and the administration of such vac-
cines,’’ after ‘‘complicate pregnancy,’’. 
(3) PROGRAM FOR DISTRIBUTION OF PEDIATRIC 
VACCINES.—Section 1928 of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1396s) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (c)(2)(B)— 
(i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘clause 
(ii)’’ and inserting ‘‘clauses (ii) and (iii)’’; 
and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following 
new clause: 
‘‘(iii) For the period beginning on the date 
of the enactment of this clause and ending on 
December 31, 2029, the provider will not take 
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and Drug Administration.’’ after the period at 
the end. 
(4) STATE
FLEXIBILITY
IN
BENEFIT
PACK-
AGES.—Section 1937(b) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1396u–7(b)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) COVERAGE
OF
ADULT
VACCINES.—Not-
withstanding the previous provisions of this section, 
a State may not provide for medical assistance 
through enrollment of an individual with benchmark 
coverage or benchmark-equivalent coverage under 
this section unless such coverage includes (and does 
not impose any deduction, cost sharing, or similar 
charge for) the medical assistance described in sec-
tion 1905(a)(13)(B).’’. 
(d) CHIP.—Section 2103 of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1397cc) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(13) REQUIRED COVERAGE OF CERTAIN VAC-
CINES
RECOMMENDED
BY
THE
ADVISORY
COM-
MITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES.—Regardless 
of the type of coverage elected by a State under sub-
section (a), the child health assistance provided for 
a targeted low-income child shall include coverage, 
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during the period beginning on the date of the en-
actment of this paragraph and ending on December 
31, 2029, of vaccines, and the administration of 
such vaccines, that had in effect a recommendation 
from the Advisory Committee on Immunization 
Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention with respect to the child involved as of 
October 25, 2024, including such a vaccine as up-
dated or changed after that date under a supplement 
to a biologics license application approved by the 
Food and Drug Administration.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e)(2), by inserting ‘‘vaccines 
described in subsection (c)(13) administered during 
the period beginning on the date of the enactment 
of such subsection and ending on December 31, 
2029 (and the administration of such vaccines),’’ be-
fore ‘‘services described in section 1916(a)(2)(G)’’. 
Æ 
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