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Implementing the Universal Vaccine Purchasing Program in New Jersey: Policy and Practice Considerations

Date of Publication
September, 2024
Publication Type
Report
Source
Rutgers Center for State Health Policy

Executive Summary 

Immunizations are vital for public health, as they play a crucial role in safeguarding communities from vaccine-preventable diseases, with the downstream benefit of mitigating more substantial healthcare costs. The COVID-19 pandemic and NJ’s vaccine distribution efforts highlighted the importance of a centralized, accessible, and equitable public health infrastructure. However, recent shifts, such as the commercialization of COVID-19 vaccines and the rising costs of other vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), pose challenges to vaccine providers operating within a multi-payer system. These challenges can result in the unintended consequence of reducing access to vaccines and lowering vaccination rates across the state, which is obviously counter to New Jersey’s efforts to sustain a robust public health infrastructure.   

These concerns prompted the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) to engage the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy (CSHP) to conduct an analysis of Universal Vaccine Purchasing (UVP) programs to inform the Department’s and the state’s planning. These programs, implemented in several states, allow for state-purchased vaccines to be distributed to all children and in some cases adults. This report explores how these programs have evolved since CSHP’s previous analysis of UVP programs shared in a 2005 report.  

This report identifies best practices in other state UVP program designs and highlights the policy tradeoffs, stakeholder impact and financial and operational considerations that should be explored prior to pursuing a UVP strategy for New Jersey.   

Other material published under the Landscape Analysis of Universal Vaccine Purchasing Strategies for NJ project.