December 16, 2008 - Evidence from two surveys on the financial burden of vaccination, recently published in the journal Pediatrics, suggests that private insurance does not sufficiently cover the cost of immunization services, highlighting a possible growing problem in the U.S. health care system.

While this gap in coverage does not pose an immediate threat to vaccination levels across the U.S., it is a troubling trend. Some practitioners in rural areas are considering dropping certain vaccination programs, which could lead to pockets of vulnerable populations and potential outbreaks. In the 1980s, many doctors stopped offering the full two-dose vaccination series for measles because of costs. Between 1989 and 1991, more than 11,000 patients were hospitalized, and 123 measles-related deaths were reported as a result of the lapse in vaccination, illustrating the very real threat behind incomplete inoculation of the population.

The 2003 Institute of Medicine report Financing Vaccines in the 21st Century: Assuring Access and Availability examines funding discrepancies in vaccine cost, and proposes alternative strategies for reducing the financial burden of public health safety.

• Financing Vaccines in the 21st Century: Assuring Access and Availability

• CDC Feature Update: Measles Outbreaks Continue in U.S.
• CDC Vaccines & Immunizations Web Page
• NIH Immunization/Vaccination Web Page
• Medscape Article on Measles Resurgence 1989-1991