CMS Head Vows Continued Vaccine Coverage and Urges Measles Shots

CMS head Mehmet Oz pledged that insurance will continue to cover vaccines on the new federal schedule and urged measles vaccination as officials reported more than 900 cases across 24 states.

Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, pledged continued insurance coverage for vaccines listed on the new federal schedule and urged people to receive the measles vaccine. His remarks came amid changes to the nation's immunization approach that have prompted public questions about which shots will be covered. Federal reporting shows a significant measles outbreak this year, which officials cited in public comments. Key facts: - Oz said CMS will pay for vaccines that appear on the newly constituted federal schedule, and he framed the promise toward parents concerned about access. - As of Feb. 13, federal health officials reported more than 900 measles cases across 24 states during the year to date. - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reconstituted the federal vaccine advisory committee and reduced the list of federally targeted diseases from 17 to 11, changes that have raised questions about the schedule and coverage. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the MMR vaccine is about 97% effective in preventing measles infection and severe disease; Oz has repeatedly expressed support for that vaccine in public appearances. Summary: The CMS leader's pledge responds to questions over insurance coverage after recent federal changes to the vaccine schedule. Undetermined at this time.