US Democratic Senator asks health insurers to commit to covering vaccines

NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff sent letters to insurers on Thursday ahead of a key CDC vaccine panel meeting asking the companies to publicly commit to covering routine vaccines for illnesses such as measles and COVID-19 no matter the group's recommendations. California's Schiff urged health insurers in the letters to provide coverage for the routine shots with no out-of-pocket costs to patients, suggesting any changes in recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices lacked evidence-based reasoning. Schiff in letters viewed by Reuters and sent to UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, Elevance, Cigna and Kaiser, a California-based health plan purchaser, said changes the committee has made have already left patients and providers in a state of confusion.