The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) issued a notice over the weekend that COVID-19 and other vaccines are covered by state insurers through the end of 2026.
The notice reaffirms Governor Josh Shapiro’s executive order issued on October 1, 2025, to safeguard access to vaccines across Pennsylvania amid confusion over coverage policies from the federal government.
Why It Matters
According to the PID, the COVID-19 and other vaccines under the 2025-2026 calendar years should be covered at no cost to consumers “consistent with approved policy language” through at least December 31, 2026. The notice emphasizes that there will be no extra fees or unnecessary hurdles.
“This is about keeping promises to Pennsylvanians,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys in a statement. “Vaccines are one of the best ways to prevent serious illness, and we want every Pennsylvanian to have affordable, easy access to protect themselves and their families.”
Humphreys said that if a health insurance plan says it covers vaccines, that coverage will remain in place at least through 2026, adding that “it should be easy for you to get vaccinated.”
What to Know
The PID notice said this applies to all insurers that offer comprehensive major medical policies and limited or excepted benefit policies, including policies covering short-term limited duration or specified diseases.
While this notice is specific to commercial insurance coverage under the PID’s jurisdiction, Commissioner Humphreys said the department “strongly encourages insurers that administer plans not subject to the department’s jurisdiction to coordinate closely with their self-funded clients to ensure consistent access to vaccines across all forms of coverage.”
A recent Executive Order from Governor Shapiro established a state-based safety net that protects children’s access to vaccines, requires all state agencies to align their policies with trusted medical experts, launches a central online vaccine portal and creates a Vaccine Education Workgroup to “strengthen public communication and combat misinformation.”
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The executive order also ensures coverage or recommended vaccines for all Pennsylvanians through Medicaid and private insurance and directs the Department of Aging and the Department of Education to support older adults and schools in following evidence-based guidance. In addition, it reinforces that recommended vaccines should remain covered under both private insurance and Medicaid in Pennsylvania to ensure “that whether someone has a state or private plan, their access to immunizations is protected and consistent,” according to the PID.
“As the federal government continues to create chaos and confusion, my Administration is stepping up to preserve access to vaccines, provide Pennsylvanians with clear, evidence-based guidance, and protect the freedom to make decisions over your own health care,” Governor Shapiro said in a statement earlier this month. “As a dad to four kids, I want the best, most accurate information to inform the decisions we make for our kids and freedom to make decisions that are best for them, in consultation with our doctors. I believe every Pennsylvanian deserves the same and this Executive Order directs Commonwealth agencies to take immediate action to ensure families can still get their kids vaccinated, seniors can stay protected as they age, and science and facts — not politics — guide health care decisions here in Pennsylvania.”
What Happens Next
With this recent notice, the PID ensures that COVID-19 vaccines and other recommended vaccines should be covered without copays, deductibles or other costs, when administered by an in-network provider. Additionally, insurers should not put up extra steps that make it harder for people to get vaccinated.
Vaccines that follow recommendation of national medical groups like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) should be covered.
The State Board of Pharmacy recently approved several trusted medical organizations, including the FDA and major physician groups, to set vaccine guidelines in Pennsylvania, the notice said. This means pharmacists and other providers can follow these updated guidelines when administering vaccines.
This guidance applies to most health insurance plans sold in Pennsylvania, but the PID also encourages insurers who handle self-funded employer health plans that are not directly regulated by the state to make sure vaccine access stays consistent for their members.
What People Are Saying
“I applaud Governor Shapiro for taking decisive action with this executive order to help ensure that all children in Pennsylvania can get the vaccines they need to prevent diseases, while giving health care providers and families the reliable, evidence-based information they rely on to make informed decisions,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen said in response to Governor Shapiro’s executive order. “Over more than three decades as a pediatrician, I have seen vaccines prevent diseases and keep people healthy so they can attend childcare, school and work. The Department will work quickly to implement this Executive Order and further ensure Pennsylvanians have the knowledge and freedom to make the best health care decisions for themselves and their families.”
On October 1, 2025, Governor Shapiro delivered remarks at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia after signing the executive order. He said in a statement that he doesn’t want “politicians who ‘don’t know best’ taking away parents’ freedom to be able to be parents over our children, and interrupt or interfere with the relationship with doctors.”
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“I think we need to have clear and accurate information and fact-based recommendations coming from doctors in Pennsylvania, and I believe all Pennsylvanians should have access to the vaccines that they want for themselves and their children, and the freedom to be able to make decisions that are best for you—especially here in Pennsylvania, especially here in Philadelphia, just a few blocks from where this grand experiment in freedom began,” he said. “This is the birthplace of freedom, and I think medical and health care freedom is central to those tenets of what we need more of in this country. I want trained professionals who know science to be empowered to guide you.”
He added that he believes U.S. Director of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. is “wholly unqualified to give medical advice” and is “restricting our freedoms” and accused Kennedy and President Donald Trump of “spreading blatantly false information about vaccines and their efficacy.”
He added that his office and the Pennsylvania Department of Health is providing “reliable, fact-based information, ensuring Pennsylvanians have full access to proven vaccines and the freedom to make the best decisions for themselves, in consultation with their doctors.”