Insurance coverage of hepatitis B vaccine won't change, industry and officials say [View all]
Source: CNN Health
PUBLISHED Dec 7, 2025, 7:00 AM ET
Parents will still be able to get the hepatitis B vaccine for their children at no cost even though the US Centers for Disease and Control Prevention’s vaccine advisers recommended a major change to the immunization practice.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, whose members were chosen by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., voted Friday to end universal hepatitis B vaccination recommendations for newborns.
The revised recommendation calls for mothers who test negative for the virus to consult with a doctor or other health care provider before having their babies vaccinated. This could create confusion and place additional hurdles in front of parents and result in fewer children being immunized. The advisers also voted in favor of recommending that babies who don’t receive a dose at birth should wait at least two months before being immunized.
Two major health insurance industry groups, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and AHIP, reiterated Thursday that they will continue to cover all vaccines recommended by the committee as of earlier this year, with no cost-sharing, through 2026.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/health/hepatitis-b-vaccine-insurance-coverage
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