fbpx
Connect with us

Kaiser Health News

CDC to Reduce Funding for States’ Child Vaccination Programs

Published

on

by Andy Miller
Wed, 05 Jul 2023 22:00:00 +0000

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reducing to states for child vaccination programs, according to an agency email obtained by KFF Health .

The funding cut “is a significant change to your budget,” said the email to immunization managers, dated June 27 and signed by two CDC .

The immunization managers who received the message are public health officials who direct , territorial, and local programs to promote vaccinations against a variety of infectious diseases, such as measles and chickenpox.

The reduction comes from a federal immunization grant — totaling about $680 million in the latest year — that supports vaccination programs for , according to the Association of Immunization Managers.

“There will be no easy solution for this,” said the CDC email. “We know that this change will require some tough decisions.”

When asked about the change, CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund said Monday, “The budgetary impact is still being worked out.”

Agency officials linked the reduction to the debt ceiling deal recently struck by the Biden administration and . The cut may result in less complete reporting on vaccinations, the CDC said.

The debt deal rescinded about $27 in unspent federal money that had been allocated to fight covid. It also led the CDC to remove $400 million in funding to states for workers who fight the spread of sexually transmitted infections, according to an email obtained by CQ Roll Call.

Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, said Wednesday that jurisdictions are reporting that the cut amounts to 10% or more of their previous year’s award.

The targeted cut will affect programs that identify communities vulnerable to disease outbreaks, said Hannan. This information is used to prevent and manage outbreaks, Hannan added.

States and territories, along with a few cities, are expected to learn their federal funding amounts for child immunization this , Hannan said.

A spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Public Health, Nancy Nydam, acknowledged that a funding cut for child immunizations was coming but said the agency hadn’t received additional details as of Monday afternoon.

The budget cut comes as the number of children getting vaccinated dropped amid the covid pandemic. During the 2021-22 school year, approximately 93% of kindergartners nationwide received each of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis), polio, and varicella vaccines. That was down from 94% during the 2020-21 school year and 95% coverage during 2019-20.

Children who are not vaccinated are more likely to get diseases like measles and whooping cough, the CDC points out on its website. Outbreaks of these diseases have occurred recently, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.

“Now is not the time to reduce federal support for routine childhood vaccine administration,” said Mark Del Monte, of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “We need to make sure every child remains fully up to date on their vaccinations as we approach back-to-school season, and that requires sustained investments in the vaccine delivery system.”

Shifting money from one area to another isn’t easy because of rigidity in the CDC’s budget, said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

Local public health agencies depend on federal funding to support their immunization programs, Benjamin said. He worries low-income families are especially vulnerable if local departments face budget cuts.

“This is what happens when you don’t pay attention to public health,” Benjamin said.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for (details).

By: Andy Miller
Title: CDC to Reduce Funding for States’ Child Vaccination Programs
Sourced From: kffhealthnews.org/news/article/cdc-childhood-vaccinations-programs-funding-cut-public-health/
Published Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2023 22:00:00 +0000

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.biloxinewsevents.com/patients-squeezed-in-fight-over-who-gets-to-bill-for-pricey-infusion-drugs/

Kaiser Health News

What’s at Stake: A Pivotal Election for Six Big Health Issues

Published

on

kffhealthnews.org – Arthur Allen and Phil Galewitz, KFF and Julie Rovner, KFF Health News and Daniel Chang – 2024-11-01 14:24:00

SUMMARY: In the election campaign’s final days, Vice President Kamala Harris and former clash over , issues of access and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Harris aims to preserve ACA subsidies and protect health care rights, while Trump’s campaign lacks clarity on health plans, suggesting significant cuts. The future of , drug prices, and transgender health care also hinges on the election outcome. Trump’s proposals could roll back protections for these groups, contrasting with Harris’ promises to uphold existing health care rights and enhance drug pricing negotiations, setting stark differences for voters.

Read the full article

The post What’s at Stake: A Pivotal Election for Six Big Health Issues appeared first on kffhealthnews.org

Continue Reading

Kaiser Health News

Trump quiere que Harris pague un precio político por ofrecer salud a inmigrantes sin papeles

Published

on

kffhealthnews.org – Joanne Kenen – 2024-11-01 13:18:00

SUMMARY: María Sánchez, una inmigrante de 87 años de México, vive sin papeles en Illinois y carecía de seguro médico durante años, a pesar de haber trabajado y pagado impuestos. A los 65, no pudo inscribirse en Medicare y evitó atención hasta caer enferma. En 2020, Illinois lanzó un programa que cubre a mayores indocumentados, permitiendo a María acceder a atención médica que le salvó la vida. Esta iniciativa se enmarca en un movimiento más amplio en estados demócratas para proporcionar seguro a inmigrantes. Sin embargo, enfrenta críticas republicanas y desafíos económicos, dado el creciente costo del programa en Illinois.

Read the full article

The post Trump quiere que Harris pague un precio político por ofrecer salud a inmigrantes sin papeles appeared first on kffhealthnews.org

Continue Reading

Kaiser Health News

Trump Wants Harris To Pay a Political Price for Generous Immigrant Health Policies

Published

on

kffhealthnews.org – Joanne Kenen – 2024-11-01 04:00:00

SUMMARY: Maria Sanchez, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, has lived in Chicago for 30 years without insurance. At 87, she finally gained coverage through an Illinois program for older undocumented . Many states are expanding public insurance to unauthorized immigrants, especially for seniors, despite criticism from who argue it burdens American citizens. The expansions address access disparities highlighted by the pandemic. While programs in states like California and New York have made strides, enrollment pressures and costs pose challenges. For Sanchez, the new coverage has significantly improved her health and quality of .

Read the full article

The post Trump Wants Harris To Pay a Political Price for Generous Immigrant Health Policies appeared first on kffhealthnews.org

Continue Reading

Trending