Urgent Vaccination: Why Parents Are Sprinting to Protect Their Kids with Medicaid Coverage

For 20 years, pediatrician Lanre Falusi from Washington, D.C., has guided parents regarding vaccine safety and timing. This year, however, the conversations have shifted. "For the first time, parents of newborns inquire whether their babies will still receive vaccines," she stated. Nationwide, pediatricians report heightened anxiety among parents concerning access to routine childhood immunizations, particularly those with Medicaid, which covers 40% of U.S. children. Deborah Greenhouse, a South Carolina pediatrician, noted that concerns increased after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stepped into the role of Health and Human Services Secretary, removing all members from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Medical professionals fear this could limit vaccine availability for children. Amid budget cuts and changing recommendations, pediatricians emphasize urgency in vaccinating without inciting panic, as declining vaccination rates foster the resurgence of diseases like measles and pertussis, raising alarm over preventable illnesses and potentially dire consequences for children’s health.