Two studies published recently have shown that the practice of vaccinations may be in trouble in the U.S. One study showed that one in 10 doctors was considering not providing vaccinations for privately-insured children. Meanwhile, another study showed that one in 10 doctors are actually losing money when they vaccinate children, because they get reimbursed less than the vaccinations' cost.
These are the first studies to actually put numbers to how many doctors are losing money on vaccinations. Before, the evidence was mostly anecdotal.
Many are concerned because a similar problem with the reimbursement of vaccinations in the 1980s led to a resurgence of measles. Measles cases in the U.S. rose to their highest level in a decade this year.
To learn more about the studies:
- read this Boston Globe piece