HB 695 — An Act providing for vaccination schedule for pediatric patients and for coverage, compensation and reimbursement for vaccinations; and imposing penalties.

PRINTER'S NO.    711

                    THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        HOUSE BILL
                        No. 695
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY ZIMMERMAN, HAMM, BANTA, M. JONES, KAUFFMAN,
        M. MACKENZIE, FINK AND GILLEN, FEBRUARY 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, FEBRUARY 21, 2025


                                   AN ACT
 1   Providing for vaccination schedule for pediatric patients and
 2      for coverage, compensation and reimbursement for
 3      vaccinations; and imposing penalties.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6   Section 1.   Short title.
 7      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Immunization
 8   Freedom Act.
 9   Section 2.   Definitions.
10      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12   context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      "Department."   The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
14      "Health care facility."   A facility that is licensed by the
15   department to operate as a health care facility under the act of
16   July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care
17   Facilities Act.
18      "Health care practitioner."   As defined in section 103 of the
 1   Health Care Facilities Act.
 2      "Health care provider."    An individual, a trust or estate, a
 3   partnership, a corporation, the Commonwealth or a political
 4   subdivision or instrumentality of the Commonwealth that operates
 5   a health care facility.
 6      "Health insurance policy."    A policy, subscriber contract,
 7   certificate or plan issued by an insurer that provides hospital,
 8   medical or surgical health care coverage. The term does not
 9   include any of the following:
10          (1)     An accident only policy.
11          (2)     A credit only policy.
12          (3)     A long-term care or disability income policy.
13          (4)     A specified disease policy.
14          (5)     A Medicare supplement policy.
15          (6)     A fixed indemnity policy.
16          (7)     An adult-only dental only policy.
17          (8)     A vision only policy.
18          (9)     A workers' compensation policy.
19          (10)     An automobile medical payment policy.
20          (11)     A policy under which benefits are provided by the
21      Federal Government to active or former military personnel and
22      their dependents.
23          (12)     Any other similar policies providing for limited
24      benefits.
25      "Insurer."    An entity that offers, issues or renews an
26   individual or group health, accident or sickness insurance
27   policy, contract or plan, and that is governed under any of the
28   following:
29          (1)     40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 (relating to hospital plan
30      corporations).

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 1            (2)   40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to professional health
 2      services plan corporations).
 3            (3)   The act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as
 4      The Insurance Company Law of 1921, including section 630 and
 5      Article XXIV.
 6            (4)   The act of December 29, 1972 (P.L.1701, No.364),
 7      known as the Health Maintenance Organization Act.
 8      "License."     Any of the following:
 9            (1)   A license issued by a Commonwealth licensing agency
10      or board to an individual to practice as a health care
11      practitioner.
12            (2)   A license issued to a health care provider by the
13      department to operate as a health care facility.
14   Section 3.     Vaccination schedule for pediatric patients.
15      (a)   Vaccination schedule.--A health care practitioner shall
16   continue to provide pediatric care to a patient if the parent or
17   legal guardian of the patient chooses to utilize a vaccination
18   schedule that varies from the vaccination schedule recommended
19   by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention if the patient
20   receives at least one vaccination each calendar year.
21      (b)   Meeting request.--A health care practitioner may request
22   a meeting with the parent or legal guardian of a patient
23   receiving pediatric care to discuss a proposed vaccination
24   schedule. The health care practitioner may not bill the patient,
25   the patient's parent or legal guardian or the patient's insurer
26   for a meeting under this subsection.
27      (c)   Waiting room.--A health care practitioner may establish
28   a secure waiting room in a health care facility for patients who
29   utilize a vaccination schedule that varies from the vaccination
30   schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and

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 1   Prevention. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to
 2   authorize a health care practitioner to limit the hours that
 3   patients receiving pediatric care can schedule appointments with
 4   the health care practitioner in a manner to restrict the ability
 5   of the patients to have their health care needs met.
 6      (d)   Standing order.--Upon agreeing on a vaccination schedule
 7   with the parent or legal guardian of a patient receiving
 8   pediatric care, a health care practitioner may issue a standing
 9   order to a designee of the health care practitioner to ensure
10   that the patient utilizes the vaccination schedule. A standing
11   order under this subsection may not prohibit the compensation or
12   reimbursement of a health care practitioner for other services
13   rendered by the health care practitioner.
14   Section 4.   Coverage, compensation or reimbursement for
15                vaccinations.
16      (a)   Insurers.--An insurer may not refuse to provide coverage
17   under a health insurance policy or compensate or reimburse a
18   health care practitioner operating within the scope practice for
19   a vaccination administered on a schedule that varies from the
20   vaccination schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease
21   Control and Prevention.
22      (b)   Financial incentives.--Except for compensating or
23   reimbursing a health care practitioner for the cost of a
24   vaccination and the administration of a vaccination, an insurer
25   may not provide financial incentives to a health care
26   practitioner to provide vaccinations on a per-member basis.
27   Section 5.   Penalties.
28      A health care practitioner who violates section 3 shall be
29   subject to administrative penalties imposed by the health care
30   practitioner's Commonwealth licensing agency or board for

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1   unprofessional conduct.
2   Section 6.   Effective date.
3      This act shall take effect immediately.




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