Overview

• The executive order directs the Department of Health to build a state safety net, launch a central vaccine portal, align all agencies with trusted medical experts, and form a Vaccine Education Workgroup.
• The measure ensures Medicaid and private plans cover recommended vaccines, with Shapiro saying insurers have committed to coverage at least through the end of 2026.
• The Departments of Aging and Education are tasked with supporting seniors and schools in following evidence-based guidance.
• Shapiro signed the order at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia alongside clinicians, with Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen saying the department will move quickly to implement it.
• Framed as a response to recent federal changes, the governor criticized HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., while noting similar actions by governors in New Jersey and Delaware.