, according to the authors of a review of Medicaid policies across all 50 states.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is approved for people aged 9-45 years, for preventing genital, cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers, and genital warts. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination with the HPV vaccine for individuals aged 9-26 years, with “shared clinical decision-making” recommended for vaccination of those aged 27-45 years, wrote Nathaniel Goldman of New York Medical College, Valhalla, and coauthors, from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and Harvard Medical School, Boston.
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A total of 33 states offered formal statewide Medicaid coverage policies that were accessible online or through the state’s Medicaid office. Another 11 states provided coverage through Medicaid managed care organizations, and 4 states had HPV vaccination as part of their formal Medicaid adult vaccination programs.
Overall, 43 states covered HPV vaccination through age 45 years with no need for prior authorization, and another 4 states (Ohio, Maine, Nebraska, and New York) provided coverage with prior authorization for adults older than 26 years.
The study findings were limited by the use of Medicaid coverage only, the researchers noted. Consequently, patients eligible for HPV vaccination who are uninsured or have other types of insurance may face additional barriers in the form of high costs, given that the current retail price is $250-$350 per shot for the three-shot series, the researchers noted.
However, the results suggest that Medicaid coverage for HPV vaccination may inform dermatologists’ recommendations for patients at increased risk, they said. More research is needed to “better identify dermatology patients at risk for new HPV infection and ways to improve vaccination rates in these vulnerable individuals,” they added.
Vaccine discussions are important in dermatology
“Dermatologists care for patients who may be an increased risk of vaccine-preventable illnesses, either from a skin disease or a dermatology medication,” corresponding author Megan H. Noe, MD, a dermatologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and assistant professor of dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, said in an interview. “Over the last several years, we have seen that all physicians, whether they provide vaccinations or not, can play an important role in discussing vaccines with their patients,” she said.