July 30, 2025
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and an ideal time to highlight the importance of vaccinations with your patients of all ages, especially those who are high risk (children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems), and families preparing to go back to school.
Studies consistently show provider recommendations to receive a vaccination plays a strong role in a patient’s decision to receive it. One study found that when the provider initiated the conversation using presumptive language, the patient was 17.5 times more likely to accept the vaccine recommendation.1
On-schedule, age-appropriate vaccinations are the most effective way to prevent many diseases, reduce spread of illness, and reduce the severity of illness if contracted. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, measles-mumps-rubella vaccination rates have declined 2.67 percent.2
As a reminder, routine vaccinations are covered at no cost to your patients with Cigna Healthcare® coverage when administered at in-network locations. Your patients can find in-network locations by logging in to myCigna.com.
Speaking with your patients
Giving a recommendation using presumptive language can be as simple as, “Your child needs two vaccinations today,” or “I noticed you’re due for a pneumococcal vaccine and it’s important that you stay up to date. We can give this to you today; do you have any questions?”3
Providers are encouraged to access industry resources to further aid conversations when recommending vaccinations to patients.
Free training and continuing education resources:
Resources on structuring the conversation:
Industry measurements
Each year, Cigna Healthcare collects data for the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®)* by requesting medical records. HEDIS as an industry-wide method to help compare and assess a health plan’s performance in a variety of areas. The HEDIS measures for vaccination status assess the percentage of patients who have received the recommended vaccinations. The following are the 2024 HEDIS immunization measures:4
Childhood Immunization Status: This measure looks at two-year-old customers to assess for documentation of their immunization history. The following are the nationally recommended immunizations to be completed by age two:
| DTaP | At least four DTaP vaccinations, with different dates of service on or before the child’s second birthday. Do not count a vaccination administered prior to 42 days after birth. |
| IPV | At least three IPV vaccinations, with different dates of service on or before the child’s second birthday. IPV administered prior to 42 days after birth cannot be counted. |
| MMR | At least one MMR vaccination, with a date of service on or between the child’s first and second birthdays. |
| HiB | At least three HiB vaccinations, with different dates of service on or before the child’s second birthday. HiB administered prior to 42 days after birth cannot be counted. |
| Hepatitis B | At least three hepatitis B vaccinations, with different dates of service on or before the child’s second birthday. |
| VZV | At least one VZV vaccination, with a date of service on or between the child’s first and second birthdays. |
| Pneumococcal conjugate | At least four pneumococcal conjugate vaccinations, with different dates of service on or before the child’s second birthday. Do not count a vaccination administered prior to 42 days after birth. |
| Hepatitis A | One hepatitis A vaccination, with a date of service on or between the child’s first and second birthdays. |
| Rotavirus | The child must receive the required number of rotavirus vaccinations on different dates of service on or before the second birthday. Do not count a vaccination administered prior to 42 days after birth. The following vaccine combinations are compliant: -Two doses of the two-dose vaccine; or -One dose of the two-dose vaccine and two doses of the three-dose vaccine; or -Three doses of the three-dose vaccine. |
| Influenza | Two influenza vaccinations, with different dates of service on or before the child’s second birthday. Do not count a vaccination administered prior to six months (180 days) after birth. One of the two vaccinations can be a Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) administered on the child’s second birthday. Do not count a LAIV administered before the child’s second birthday. |
Immunizations for Adolescents: This measure looks at adolescents 13 years of age who had one dose of meningococcal vaccine, one tetanus, diphtheria toxoids, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, and have completed the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series by their 13th birthday.
| Meningococcal Serogroups A, C, W, Y | At least one meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, Y vaccine given on or between the adolescent’s 11th and 13th birthdays. |
| Tdap | At least one tetanus, diphtheria toxoids, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine given on or between the adolescent’s tenth and 13th birthdays. |
| HPV | The adolescent must receive the required number of HPV vaccinations on or between the ninth and 13th birthdays. Either of the following are compliant: -At least two HPV vaccines with dates of service at least 146 days apart. -At least three HPV vaccines with different dates of service. |
*HEDIS® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
Immunizations for adults: The following are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) vaccine recommendations for adults aged 19 or older:
Additional information
1. The Architecture of Provider-Parent Vaccine Discussions at Health Supervision Visits
2. New Data Shows MMR Vaccination Rate Decline Across the U.S.
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