Vermont is a universal vaccine state, providing vaccines to enrolled providers at no cost for use with all patients, regardless of insurance status. The Vermont Vaccine Purchasing Program (VVPP) collects funding from health insurers quarterly based on covered lives. Insurer funding is combined with federal funding to support the purchase of vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) federal contract at the lowest price. The VVPP began as a pilot program in 2011, and in 2014 legislation passed that ensured a permanent, sustainable universal vaccine program.
The Health Department has contracted with KidsVax® to create and manage the website that allows health insurers to securely submit their quarterly Vermont covered lives data, generate a report, and prepare an invoice. The website also includes information about the program for health care providers, payers and the public.
As a result of collecting payments from health plans, insurers and other payers, the Vermont Vaccine Purchasing Program makes it possible for:
- Health care providers to receive state-supplied vaccines at no charge
- Children to have easy access to all ACIP-recommended vaccines
- Adults (19 to 64 years) to have access to all recommended vaccines through their health care provider
- All payers to participate in an efficient, cost-effective system for purchasing and distributing vaccines.
