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Kennedy’s decision to summarily revise the childhood vaccine schedule without consulting the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is bad, but it could’ve been worse.
That’s because his changes won’t change what private commercial health insurance or Medicaid (VFC) need to cover or Arizona’s school vaccine requirements. Also, very few primary care providers will change their clinical practice or recommendations to their patients based on what Kennedy thinks. Arizona school vaccine requirements remain unchanged.
It’s notable that Kennedy changed the vaccine recommendations without going through the ACIP – and that matters. Why?
ACIP recommendations are hard-wired to coverage requirements for private insurance, Medicaid, IHS (via VFC) via the Affordable Care Act (PHSA §2713). HHS Secretary recommendations aren’t hard wired to insurance coverage.
As long as a vaccine stays an ACIP recommendation, insurers have to cover it. The ACA is silent when it comes to what the HHS Secretary says or does – it’s the ACIP that drives what needs to be covered.
As such, Kennedy’s actions this week aren’t linked to what needs to be covered by VFC and health insurers. Even if Kennedy had completely removed a vaccine recommendation (he didn’t – he reclassified them among universal recommendations, high risk populations and shared clinical decision-making), it wouldn’t have changed insurance coverage.
Note: The only change Kennedy made that wasn’t just a reclassification was his recommendation to change to a single dose of the HPV vaccine rather than the current 2-dose schedule (the single dose stays a universal recommendation). But, since the 2-dose to 1-dose change didn’t go through the ACIP, commercial insurance and VFC still needs to cover the 2nd dose.
Hypothetical example: If Kennedy had completely dropped a vaccine recommendation (for example HPV) it would still need to be covered by health insurance with no co-pay because the change didn’t go through ACIP.
New, More Profound Assaults Are Likely in the Pipeline
Kennedy has already undermined ACIP’s membership. With a newly stacked committee, it’s reasonable to expect future ACIP votes will remove or weaken recommendations for key vaccines, HPV being an obvious early target because of Kennedy’s prejudice against that shot.
Once his ACIP withdraws a recommendation insurance coverage would disappear and create real financial barriers to vaccination, sharply reducing uptake.
There’s also a longer-term risk Kennedy poses that goes beyond insurance coverage.
Kennedy has repeatedly asserted (without evidence) that vaccines cause autism. If he directs HHS to recognize autism as an injury under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, the consequences will be catastrophic, and that’s not an understatement.
If he makes autism compensable under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund it would quickly become insolvent. Once the fund collapses, vaccine manufacturers will face unlimited liability exposure on products that have very little profit margin, and they’ll stop making them. When the manufacturers exit the market, vaccines will become unavailable, and the entire immunization infrastructure will collapse.
That sequence of events, weakening ACIP recommendations, triggering coverage losses, expanding liability without evidence, and driving manufacturers out of the market might very well be Kennedy’s end game.
Kennedy’s changes this week didn’t cross that line. But they make clear why ACIP independence, evidence-based decision-making, and the legal structure protecting vaccine access are so important, and why we’re at such risk.
Earlier this week, Kennedy changed the childhood vaccine schedule issued by the CDC. Given Kennedy’s long history of discouraging childhood immunization and making false claims about vaccine safety, it wasn’t a surprise that Kennedy used his power of the state to reduce the number of recommended vaccines.
His changes aren’t evidence based and run counter to decades of clinical evidence and public-health practice… but they really just change how vaccines are categorized, not whether they’re available, covered by health insurance or required for preschool / K-12.
The following vaccines are still universally recommended by CDC, widely accepted clinically, and are still required for school entry (except for HPV which isn’t required for schools).
Rather than removing vaccines entirely, Kennedy shifted several vaccines out of the “routine universal recommendation” category and into “risk-based” or “shared clinical decision-making” buckets. Vaccines no longer universally recommended but still must be covered with no co-pay include:
Hepatitis A is now on the ‘high-risk’ list but will still be paid for by insurance and the VFC program and will remain a requirement for preschool entry in Arizona (with medical and religious exemptions, but no personal exemption).
Meningococcal vaccines were moved to the ‘shared clinical decision making’ list but are still covered by insurance and VFC and are still required for middle school entry.
Hepatitis B, RSV, and meningococcal vaccines are now recommended only for specific at-risk populations rather than all children, but most pediatricians follow the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended schedule and will continue to recommend and administer them to their patients.
Kennedy’s changes run counter to decades of clinical evidence and public-health practice, but they’re about how vaccines are categorized, not whether they exist or are available and covered.
One of the biggest misconceptions following this announcement is that families will suddenly face new costs or coverage barriers. That’s not the case.
In short, vaccines are still paid for, accessible, and available at no cost to families.
Another reality check: most pediatricians, family physicians, and primary care providers are not going to follow Kennedy’s guidance. Clinicians understand that these changes are not grounded in scientific evidence. They know that these vaccines have a tremendous public health and personal health value and are among the most rigorously tested medical interventions, with extensive clinical trials and a robust post-market safety monitoring system.
In practice, most providers will keep recommending and administering vaccines the same way they always have.
Even though the practical and immediate impact of these specific changes are limited they will most likely lead to a further erosion in childhood immunization rates.
Why? Because moving vaccines out of the universal category sends a signal to uninformed and hesitant parents that the vaccines on the high risk and joint clinical decision-making list are optional or less important. Over time that’ll lead to higher exemption rates and lower community protection, particularly for diseases like meningococcal infection and hepatitis A.
Still, the delivery system for childhood vaccines in Arizona is still intact. All these vaccines will still be covered by health insurance and VFC. The Arizona school vaccine requirements stay intact.
Yet, Kennedy’s action will lower vaccination rates and create more outbreaks and bad and even fatal outcomes.
What’s truly chilling is that Kennedy is just getting started and has 3 more years to use his authority to undermine vaccination using his sweeping powers. That will come as his ACIP members continue to change their recommendations.
More about that in my next piece.
Friday, January 9, 2026
9am – 10am
Our Speakers: Brooke Rector & Angel Sanchez
Brooke Rector
Brooke Rector is the Youth Program Coordinator for AIH-AHEC, where she works to expand health career opportunities for Native students, address the underrepresentation of Native professionals in healthcare, and help alleviate workforce shortages. She leads the Youth Career Pathways Program, collaborating with tribal leaders, elders, and healthcare institutions to ensure that training is grounded in traditional knowledge while incorporating modern medical practices.Brooke also coordinates summer programs, health clubs, and student resources that provide youth with hands-on exposure to careers in medicine, nursing, public health, and allied health fields. She is passionate about promoting health across Arizona, particularly among youth and underserved communities.
Angel Sanchez
Angel Sanchez is the Academic Pathways Coordinator for AIH-AHEC. He holds a Bachelor of Public Health from Arizona State University and a Master of Public Health from the University of Arizona. Angel previously worked as a Student Support Specialist at ASU’s College of Health Solutions.In his current role, he supports high school and college students pursuing careers in healthcare and public health, applying his knowledge of healthcare policy and administration to strengthen Tribal communities and address workforce needs across Arizona.
Register Here
Across Arizona renters are being told they have to sign something called a “crime-free lease addendum” in order to close their lease. On the surface, some may say the concept sounds fine.
In practice, crime-free lease addendums are a tool landlords use to summarily evict tenants they don’t like with almost no due process. And that has bad public-health consequences for low-income families.
What’s a Crime-Free Lease Addendum?
A signed crime-free lease addendum allows a landlord to almost immediately evict a tenant by simply claiming that the tenant or sometimes a guest did something illegal – even if they have no evidence.
Landlords don’t even need to show that there was a police or arrest report, charges or a conviction. There doesn’t even need to be evidence!
What renters in Arizona should know about crime-free lease addendums
Landlords executing these ‘addendums’ usually focus on drug use. They often allege a tenant used illegal drugs, even something like “magic mushrooms” & use that allegation to summarily evict their tenant.
Eviction can happen at once even if rent is paid on time and the tenant has followed every term in the lease.
How ‘Crime-Free Lease Addendums’ Fuel Homelessness & Heat Deaths – AZ Public Health Association
Eviction Is Already Easy in Arizona
Arizona law already strongly favors landlords. Under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a tenant can be evicted in as little as 30 days for being just five days late on rent.
Crime-free lease addendums supercharge evictions by making them even faster. They turn unproven accusations into grounds for immediate displacement.
Evictions Are a Public-Health Issue
Housing is one of the most important social determinants of health. When people lose stable housing, the health effects are immediate and severe.
Evictions—especially sudden ones—can lead to:
Families already struggling with low wages, rising rents, or health issues are hit the hardest.
Recent Arizona reporting has shown that tenants can lose housing aid even when landlords later drop eviction cases. That means a single allegation — again never proven — can permanently damage a family’s ability to stay housed.
Once someone has an eviction on their record, it becomes much harder to find another place to live. The result is a cycle that pushes families closer to homelessness, not stability.
UA Students Step Up: A Blueprint for Change
Last semester, students Grady Campbell, Levonia Cellicion, Callie Haggerty, Stephanie Hernandez, Liz Olivarez, Mariah Quinn, and Dora Valencia
at the UA Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health in Dr. Maia Ingram’s class took on this issue head-on. Collaborating with community partners, they developed a statewide advocacy plan to reduce or end the use of crime-free lease addendums in Arizona.
Their plan is practical, thoughtful, and grounded in public-health principles. It includes:
Most importantly, the students framed housing stability as a health issue, not just a legal or economic one.
Thanks to the leadership of University of Arizona students, we now have a clear roadmap for how Arizona can do better. Our current work centers on identifying a sponsor to run the legislation.
Phoenix, AZ (Jan 1, 2026) — The Arizona Public Health Association (AzPHA) is proud to announce the appointment of five distinguished professionals to its Board of Directors for the 2026 term. These new Board members bring a wealth of experience in public health, policy, education, and community engagement, further strengthening AzPHA’s mission to achieve optimal, equitable health and well-being for all Arizonans.
“On behalf of AzPHA and our more than 900 members, I am delighted to welcome our new Board members. We are grateful for their willingness to step up and serve,” shared Will Humble, MPH, Executive Director of AzPHA. “Public health is truly a team sport, and their leadership will be instrumental in protecting health, advancing equity, strengthening communities across Arizona, and enhancing professional development for our state’s public health workforce.”
Elena Burr, MPH, Director of Communications & Outreach at AllThrive 365, will serve as Director of Communications. She leads strategic communications, branding, and public engagement initiatives for one of Arizona’s largest aging services organizations. Elena serves as the Chair of the Arizona Health Equity Conference Planning Committee and holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Arizona.
Charity Moparthy, graduate student at the University of Arizona, will serve as Student Representative. She is pursuing a Master of Public Health with a focus on Health Policy and Management from the University of Arizona and brings hands-on experience in research coordination, student engagement, and community outreach, with a deep commitment to health equity and amplifying youth voices.
Lora Timmons, DHPE, MPH, Dean for Nursing, Healthcare and Wellness at GateWay Community College, will serve as Director of Professional Development & Academic Relations. With a Doctorate in Health Professions Education and a Master of Public Health, Dr. Timmons has a proven track record in increasing student success, developing new academic programs, and fostering industry partnerships. She is a certified experiential educator and has served on numerous advisory boards and committees dedicated to advancing public health education.
Felicia Trembath, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor at Midwestern University, will serve as Vice President. Dr. Trembath is a respected public health scholar and educator. She holds a PhD in Epidemiology and Master of Public Health, and her research and leadership have focused on infectious disease prevention, health promotion, and academic excellence. She is a recipient of the prestigious Health System Integration Program Fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Helena Whitney, MSW, Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, will serve as Director at Large. She holds a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University and brings over two decades of experience in Medicaid and healthcare policy, government relations, and public health consulting. Helena has held senior roles in legislative affairs, led statewide health assessments, and developed innovative programs to improve health equity and behavioral health outcomes.
For more information about AzPHA and its Board of Directors, visit azpha.org.
Founded in 1928, the Arizona Public Health Association (AzPHA) is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all Arizonans. AzPHA brings together public health professionals, students, advocates, and community members to advance sound public health policy, promote health equity, and strengthen the public health workforce. Through education, advocacy, and collaboration, AzPHA works to ensure that every community in Arizona has the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit azpha.org.
