RFK Jr. ends COVID vaccine support for 2 key groups. Will NC insurers cover it?
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday he had decided to remove the recommendation that healthy children and pregnant women receive the COVID-19 vaccine — a change that could affect insurance coverage for those who do want the shot.
But one major North Carolina insurer said that while it was still reviewing the changes, the decision by President Donald Trump’s administration would likely not affect its coverage.
And benefits on an insurance plan that covers hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians will also be unchanged, at least for now.
Here’s what we know so far.
What did RFK Jr. announce?
“I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that as of today the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” Kennedy said in a video posted on X, flanked by the director of the National Institutes of Health, Jayanta Bhattacharya, and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary.
“We’re now one step closer to realizing President Trump’s promise to make America healthy again,” he said.
Multiple outlets have published a directive from Kennedy dated May 19, in which he said that based on recommendations from the FDA and NIH, he determined the “known risks” of the vaccine “do not outweigh the purported benefits.”
He directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to remove COVID-19 vaccines from its recommendations for these groups. .The CDC typically develops its recommended immunization schedule in consultation with its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel of public health experts that advises on vaccination policy. But it’s unclear whether either the CDC or its panel was involved in Kennedy’s decision. STAT News reported that sources said neither was consulted. ACIP is next slated to meet at the end of June.
The CDC currently has no permanent director. Susan Monarez is serving as acting director and has been nominated by Trump to lead the agency permanently.
Under the Affordable Care Act, most private insurance plans and Medicaid are required to cover recommended vaccines at no cost. If a vaccine is no longer recommended, insurers may choose not to cover it, leading to increased costs for individuals seeking vaccination.
North Carolina coverage
The News & Observer reached out to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Aetna and UnitedHealthcare, major insurers in the state.
It also contacted the state treasurer’s office, which oversees the North Carolina State Health Plan. The plan provides health coverage for state employees and is administered by Aetna, though it remains a state-run program.
Asked whether coverage policies for COVID-19 vaccinations will change in response to Kennedy’s announcement, Pat Ryan, North Carolina spokesperson for Aetna, said: “Aetna is monitoring any changes made by the federal government” and “will evaluate whether coverage adjustments are needed.”
Meanwhile, Blue Cross NC spokeswoman Sara Lang said: “We will review any formal recommendation when it becomes available but expect to continue to offer coverage for members in previously approved age groups who wish to receive the vaccine.”
She did not reply to a follow-up message to confirm if that included coverage for pregnant women.
UnitedHealthcare did not reply prior to publication.
Loretta Boniti with the SHP said the State Health Plan Board of Trustees voted on benefits for 2026 on May 20.
“This package is designed to balance the health and needs of state employees, retirees and their families while at the same time working to close the $500M deficit the Plan is facing. We don’t anticipate making any additional benefit changes. The State Health Plan will continue to cover the COVID-19 vaccine for Plan members at 100%, which means no cost-share for members,” she said in an email.
The board will begin voting on 2027 benefits in May 2026, she wrote.
This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "RFK Jr. ends COVID vaccine support for 2 key groups. Will NC insurers cover it?."
