Political Quotes

“I rise today to kick off National Immunization Awareness Month by introducing legislation to expand access to affordable childhood and adolescent immunizations. I am pleased that my colleague, Senator Reed, joins me in this initiative. Immunization against vaccine-preventable disease is perhaps the most powerful health care and public health achievement of the 20th Century. Remarkable advances in the science of vaccine development and widespread immunization efforts have led to a substantial reduction in the incidence of infectious disease. Today, vaccination coverage is at record high levels. Smallpox has been eradicated; polio has been eliminated from the Western Hemisphere; and measles, pertussis and Hib invasive disease have been reduced to record lows. The bill I introduce today builds on these successes. 'The Comprehensive Insurance Coverage of Childhood Immunization Act of 2001,' ensures that all health plans cover the recommended childhood and adolescent immunizations. This improvement is simple, it is cost effective, and it is long overdue. More than 3.6 million children currently insured in the private sector are not covered for the recommended immunizations. Millions more have partial insurance for some of the recommended vaccines, but not all. Even if private coverage is complete, cost-sharing may be a significant barrier for many families.”