PRIA Logo™
119-hr-8425119th CongressWALLET

Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]

Introduced

Summary

Expands vaccine access for low-income and CHIP-enrolled children. This bill would broaden who qualifies for federally supported pediatric vaccines, raise reimbursement for vaccine administration and counseling, and improve data sharing and reporting for tribal and state programs.

Show full summary
  • Families and children: It would add children enrolled in the State Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and children who receive a qualified pediatric vaccine but lack coverage for that vaccine to the pool of federally vaccine-eligible kids. It would also require vaccine administration and counseling be paid at not less than 100 percent of the Medicare Part B rate through December 31, 2028.
  • Providers: Medicaid and CHIP providers would get clearer authority to charge administration and counseling fees, including separate charges for components of multi-component vaccines, and could be reimbursed for counseling in addition to administration. The 100 percent Part B-rate floor would apply to managed care contracts on the same basis as fee-for-service.
  • States and tribal public health: States would be eligible for a 1 percentage point FMAP increase starting January 1, 2027 if they run culturally competent vaccination outreach covering vaccine benefits, safety, and risks of non-vaccination. The CDC would develop data-sharing access for tribal epidemiology centers and publish disaggregated vaccination data for fiscal years 2027 and 2028. The Comptroller General must report within two years on effects on vaccination rates and provider participation.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

More vaccine access for children

This bill would expand who counts as a federally vaccine-eligible child. If enacted, a child who is not insured for a particular pediatric vaccine would be eligible for that federally supplied vaccine. The bill would also say that children enrolled in CHIP (Title XXI) are explicitly covered. These changes would take effect on enactment.

Higher Medicaid vaccine payments

This bill would require Medicaid and CHIP programs to pay at least 100 percent of the Medicare Part B rate for vaccine administration and counseling. The rule would apply to services given from enactment through December 31, 2028. It would also apply to state pediatric vaccine programs and to payments made through Medicaid managed care and similar contracts.

Small FMAP boost for states

Beginning with the quarter on or after January 1, 2027, this bill would add 1 percentage point to a State's FMAP for each quarter if the State carries out specified culturally competent vaccination outreach to children. The outreach must cover research advances, population benefits, outbreak risks, and vaccine safety monitoring. The bill would also change a legal date reference so certain FMAP timing rules apply using a December 31, 2025 interpretive date when applied to this increase.

CDC would publish child vaccine rates

For fiscal years 2027 and 2028, this bill would require the CDC to publish vaccination rates for each State pediatric vaccine distribution program. The data would be posted on the CDC website and broken down by region, age, sex, race, ethnicity, and other groups the CDC chooses. The CDC would coordinate with States that run such programs.

Tribal access to health data

This bill would authorize the CDC Director to create a data-sharing strategy so tribal epidemiology centers can access child and adolescent health data they need for public health work. Access would be limited to what is necessary for those centers to carry out their public health responsibilities. The change would take effect on enactment.

New vaccine fees and limits

This bill would let providers charge fees for vaccine administration and for counseling about vaccines for federally vaccine-eligible children. The fee for a first component of a multi-part vaccine could not be more than the Secretary's estimate of regional costs. For later components, providers could charge up to the Medicare Part B payment rate. Counseling fees could be charged even when a shot is not given.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]

WA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 10/1/2026

  • Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 10/1/2026

  • Rep. Joyce, John [R-PA-13]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 4/21/2026

  • Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 6/3/2026

  • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 7/14/2026

  • Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation