WA passes law outlining vaccine coverage

OLYMPIA — A move to shift vaccine recommendation authority away from the federal government to the state was successful this legislative session.  

House Bill 2242, recommended by Wash. Gov. Bob Ferguson and Insurance Commissioner Patty Kreuder, passed the state Senate last week with a bipartisan vote, requiring insurance companies to cover state-recommended immunizations and other preventive health services under health plans renewed or starting April 1. 

The bill arose in response to changes occurring at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the overhaul of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices directed by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the reduction of child vaccine recommendations.  

“Donald Trump’s CDC has become a political tool that increasingly peddles ideology instead of science,” Ferguson said in a press release. “We must protect Washingtonians’ health from the chaos of the federal government.” 

For decades, the ACIP, made up of vaccine experts from across the nation, has been the primary body recommending vaccine best practices, including target populations and dosages for children, adults, and older adults. The CDC follows the group recommendations, guiding insurance companies on what to cover, inhibiting out-of-pocket costs.  

In June 2025, Kennedy replaced the entire committee with a new slate of appointees, including some with a history of voicing vaccine skepticism.  

“It is vitally important to take steps to safeguard our state’s health care system and our public’s trust in that system from federal changes,” said Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, sponsor of companion Senate Bill 5981. “This bill ensures that individuals and families can be assured that health care guidance and recommendations in our state continue to be rooted in science and evidence-based practices.” 

The legislation would ensure continued access to no-cost insurance coverage of immunizations based on the independent recommendations made by the state Department of Health rather than the ACIP. The bill would also continue coverage on other preventive care services such as cancer and HIV screenings in accordance with the 2010 Affordable Care Act that the state codified in 2018.  

“These are important services for people who choose to use them,” Commissioner Kuderer said in a press release. “This bill ensures that the recommendations will continue to come from trained medical experts, rather than political appointees with no background in medicine or science.” 

The House previously passed the bill with a party-line vote, yet received bipartisan support in the Senate including seven Republicans voting in favor. The bill is one of the first pieces of legislation to pass both chambers this session.  

“There are no mandates in this bill,” said Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, on the floor – the only minority member to express his support.  

The bill does not require new vaccine mandates or change any laws related to consent for immunization or preventive care services. Additionally, it outlines that the DOH must still consider the recommendations of ACIP and experts that the DOH deems relevant and rooted in reasonable scientific evidence and judgment. 

Washington is currently part of the West Coast Health Alliance formed in partnership with California, Oregon, and Hawaii, following the initial firing of the ACIP board. The alliance provides vaccine recommendations independent of the federal government and has since rebuked the CDC’s recent effort to reduce pediatric vaccine recommendations, including for hepatitis A and B.  

The bill now makes its way to the governor’s desk for signature ahead of session adjournment set March 12.