785: Vaccination Coverage Decreases, OTC Birth Control Rule Change

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, November 5, 2024. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

LORI FREEMAN: 

In this report, they noted that during the 2023 to '24 school year, that kindergarteners had a lower vaccination coverage than the prior year, and that that coverage basically dipped from about 92.7% to 92.3%.

JOHNSON: 

A new report from the CDC outlines the decline in required vaccine coverage among kindergartners. NACCHO CEO Lori Freeman says the numbers are very troubling.

FREEMAN: 

We had been seeing this occur during the pandemic years due to just people not having normal access or skipping their vaccination appointments and school being not in session and things like that. But we did- really had hoped that it would bounce back after the pandemic, and it really did not.

JOHNSON: 

The decline is already having a real impact on people across the country.

FREEMAN: 

Now we're seeing several jurisdictions, localities across the country reporting double, triple, quadruple numbers of pertussis that are alarming. And I think the most concerning factor is that these are preventable diseases

JOHNSON: 

With vaccine hesitancy only increasing, Freeman says ramping up outreach and communications is key.

FREEMAN: 

We have to meet people where they are in terms of their understanding of the benefits and the risk of vaccines. It's really important that we talk to parents in direct ways, and we listen, and we learn where their hesitation is coming from.

JOHNSON: 

We'll put a link to the CDC findings and to see in an article where Freeman was quoted in the show notes.

The Biden administration recently proposed a rule to make over-the-counter birth control free for those with private health insurance. Here's ASTHO's Brittany Lee.

BRITTANY LEE: 

Currently, in most states, if individuals wanted to get over-the-counter birth control at no-cost, they would need to get a prescription from their provider, or they would just need to pay out of pocket for it. So, now they would be able to bring that contraception up to the pharmacy counter and get it for free without a prescription, using their health insurance.

JOHNSON: 

This rule would also expand the options available to people.

LEE: 

Currently, an individual might only be able to choose one type of intrauterine device or one type of oral contraceptive pill. Under this new rule, they would have greater choice of the number of options under each contraceptive method that their insurer is required to cover with no cost sharing to them.

JOHNSON: 

Ultimately, Lee says the rule change could have a big impact on health down the line,

LEE: 

This proposed rule, if implemented, could increase access and affordability to birth control, which would encourage consistent contraceptive use and therefore better health outcomes, improved health equity, and overall improved individual decision making about family planning.

JOHNSON: 

State health officials can provide feedback on the rule change during the 60-day public comment period. More information is in the show notes.

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That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Summer Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.