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Congress·In Committee·S. 2857

Senate Bill Would Keep Vaccines Free for Insured Americans Through 2029

Protecting Free Vaccines Act of 2025

6 months ago·View on Congress.gov
Part of: New Bills Aim to Mandate Zero-Cost Vaccine Coverage Through 2029
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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • Requires many health plans to cover certain vaccines with no copay or deductible, for a limited time period.

    From policy text

    “With respect to plan years occurring 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 immunizations”
    View in full text
  • Applies to vaccines that were recommended by a CDC vaccine advisory group as of Oct. 25, 2024, even if a later change removes that recommendation.

    From policy text

    “the provider will not take into account any change in the schedule described in clause (i) that removes the recommendation to administer a pediatric vaccine with respect to the vaccine-eligible child involved if such pediatric vaccine was recommended with respect to such child under such schedule as of October 25, 2024”
    View in full text
  • Covers private insurance (group and individual plans) and public coverage like Medicare, Medicaid, and the children’s health insurance program.

    From policy text

    “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.”
    View in full text
  • Sets the rule to apply for plan years starting at enactment and lasting until Jan. 1, 2030 (with Medicaid and children’s coverage running through Dec. 31, 2029).

    From policy text

    “for the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this clause and ending on December 31, 2029”
    View in full text
  • Includes a guardrail so plans don’t have to cover shots given too soon, before the usual minimum time between doses.

    From policy text

    “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.”
    View in full text
HealthcareMedicare MedicaidConsumer Protection

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Positive Impacts(9)
Medicare
Helps
Chronic Illness
Helps
Medicaid
Helps
Housing Assistance
Helps
Pregnant
Helps
Child Tax Credit
Helps
Student
Helps
Small Business Owner
Helps
Gig Worker
Helps

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Sep 18, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sep 18, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Starting with plan years on/after the date the bill becomes law

Private health plans must start covering the specified vaccines with $0 cost-sharing for applicable plan years.

If your plan year starts on/after the law’s enactment date, you should be able to get the covered set of vaccines without a copay, coinsurance, or deductible charge (as long as you follow the minimum spacing between doses).

From when the bill becomes law through Dec 31, 2029

Medicaid must cover the specified vaccines (and giving the shot) through the end of 2029.

If you’re on Medicaid, states would have to keep these vaccines covered even if later guidance removes a recommendation, helping prevent coverage gaps.

From when the bill becomes law through Dec 31, 2029

CHIP must cover the specified vaccines (and giving the shot) through the end of 2029.

Families using CHIP should keep access to the covered vaccines with no cost-sharing during this window.

From when the bill becomes law through Dec 31, 2029

Vaccines-for-Children program rules ignore certain removals from the schedule/list through the end of 2029.

Pediatric providers serving vaccine-eligible children would have more stable coverage rules for the covered set of vaccines during this time.

2030-01-01

End of the required coverage “lock-in” window for private plans.

After this date, the special requirement in this bill would no longer apply, and coverage could revert to the usual rules going forward.

2029-12-31

End of the required coverage window for Medicaid/CHIP provisions tied to Dec 31, 2029.

States could have more flexibility after this point, and coverage would depend on whatever rules apply then.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Protecting Free Vaccines Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 2857
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
I: 1

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.