COVID vaccination rates for Medicaid enrollees lag overall population

Medicaid enrollees are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 at far lower rates than the overall population as states search for the best strategies to improve access to the shots and persuade those who remain hesitant (Source: “Medicaid vaccination rates founder as states struggle to immunize their poorest residents,” Kaiser Health News via Ohio Capital Journal, Sept. 1).

Efforts by state Medicaid agencies and the private health plans that most states pay to cover their low-income residents have been challenging amid a lack of access to state data about which members are immunized. The problems reflect the decentralized nature of the health program, funded largely by the federal government but managed by the states.

It also points to the difficulty in getting the message to Medicaid populations about the importance of the COVID vaccines and the challenges they face getting care.