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Challenges to Vaccine Access for High-Risk Chronic Disease Adults
“Challenges to Vaccine Access for High-Risk Chronic Disease Adults” is a new report based on a survey conducted by GHLF in the last quarter of 2023. In this report, we analyze the results from the survey and delve into the systemic issues that prevent high-risk chronic disease adults from obtaining essential vaccines. With this report, we aim to understand how policy and health care practices can evolve to better serve our communities.
Discover key insights from our survey, which underscores the critical role vaccines play in health care. Despite zero out-of-pocket costs for eligible vaccines under current U.S. insurance, many still face substantial barriers due to restrictive policies and lack of awareness.
This report was authored by Robert Popovian, PharmD, MS, Founder, Conquest Advisors and GHLF’s Chief Science Policy Officer, and Kelly Gavigan, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at GHLF.
Highlighting the urgent need for improved vaccine access, this report reveals a significant gap in vaccination rates among U.S. adults with chronic diseases, particularly in underserved communities. By addressing these disparities, we aim to enhance public health outcomes significantly.
“It is truly heartbreaking to witness patients who are highly motivated to protect themselves from infections, yet are unable to access necessary immunizations due to confusing vaccine protocols and inadequate insurance coverage.”
— Robert Popovian, PharmD, MS
Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF
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- All survey participants suffer from a chronic condition.
- Almost all survey participants had public or private insurance.
- Close to 90% of survey participants believe immunization is important and necessary for their health.
- 83% of survey participants believe vaccines are safe and effective.
- Almost 30% of survey participants had difficulty accessing the vaccines that they needed, and of this group:
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- 28% were told they were not eligible based on age, which, in some cases, they would be eligible for the vaccine due to their chronic disease status.
- 24% were told that the vaccine is not covered by insurance, which is troubling since the legislative mandate requires all patients with private and public insurance to be covered for all eligible vaccines without cost-sharing requirements.
- Close to 50% of survey participants never received the vaccine due to difficulty accessing the vaccine that they needed.
Authors
Robert Popovian, PharmD, MS
Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF
Dr. Robert Popovian is the Founder of the strategic consulting firm Conquest Advisors. He also serves as Chief Science Policy Officer at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, Senior Healthy Policy Fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute, and Visiting Health Policy Fellow at the Pioneer Institute. He previously served as Vice President, U.S. Government Relations at Pfizer. One of the country’s foremost experts on every significant facet of biopharmaceuticals and the healthcare industry, he is a recognized authority on health economics, policy, government relations, medical affairs, and strategic planning.
Dr. Popovian completed his Doctorate in Pharmacy and Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy degrees with honors at the University of Southern California. He has also completed a residency in Pharmacy Practice/Adult Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Los Angeles County-USC Hospital and a fellowship in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy at USC.
Kelly Gavigan, MPH
Chief, Data and Analytics Officer
Kelly Gavigan, MPH, Chief, Data and Analytics Officer, is responsible for managing the patient-reported data collected to better inform scientific and clinical research on chronic conditions. Kelly has coauthored numerous published manuscripts and abstracts on PatientSpot research. PatientSpot is GHLF’s patient-reported outcomes registry. She also manages data collected through GHLF’s CreakyJoints and the 50-State Network communities, which help to inform policy and educational programming. Kelly graduated from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in 2016 with a Master of Public Health in Sociomedical Sciences and Global Health. During her graduate program, she worked at an advocacy nonprofit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she published work on topics including HIV treatment and prevention literacy. Kelly graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Boston College, where she also minored in Faith, Peace and Justice.
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