Recent national data shows that routine childhood vaccination rates continue to decline — and experts view kindergarten vaccination coverage as an early warning signal for potential outbreaks in communities. During the 2024–2025 school year, coverage for key childhood vaccines, including measles‑mumps‑rubella (MMR), diphtheria‑tetanus‑pertussis, polio, and varicella, declined again among U.S. kindergartners. MMR vaccination coverage fell to 92.5 percent, remaining below the 95 percent threshold needed to help prevent measles transmission.^1,2

At the same time, nonmedical vaccine exemptions reached a record high of 3.6 percent, leaving an estimated 138,000 kindergartners nationwide without protection against at least one required vaccine.¹ These gaps in routine immunization coverage have been linked to measles outbreaks across multiple states and the highest number of U.S. measles cases since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.²

Patient conversations

Back‑to‑school visits, sports physicals, and well‑child appointments provide an important opportunity for providers to identify gaps, reinforce vaccine confidence, and help prevent the spread of illness before the school year begins.Studies consistently show provider recommendations to receive a vaccination play a strong role in a patient’s decision to receive it. When providers use presumptive language to initiate vaccine discussions, significantly more parents choose to vaccinate their children.³ Giving a recommendation using presumptive language can be as simple as, “Your child needs three shots today.”⁴

Providers are encouraged to access industry resources from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to aid conversations when recommending vaccinations to patients.

• You Call The Shots | Vaccine Trainings (CDC)
• Immunization Education & Training (CDC)
• Foster Support for Vaccination in Your Practice (CDC)
• Communication Aids (AAP)
• National Immunization Awareness Month (CDC)

Industry measurements

Each year, Cigna Healthcare^® collects data for the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS^®)⁵ 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.

For information on the HEDIS measures related to vaccines, visit the National Committee for Quality Assurance HEDIS Measures and Technical Resources web page.

Coverage

Cigna Healthcare continues to cover all 17 vaccines included in the updated CDC childhood immunization schedule as preventive services when administered at in-network locations. Our Preventive Care Services (A004) administrative policy includes additional information about coverage for preventive care services.

To find a list of in-network providers, go to the provider directory on Cigna.com. Your patients can also locate in-network providers by logging in to myCigna.com^® or the myCigna^® App.

Resources

• To learn more about our continued coverage of vaccines and resources that can help strengthen patient conversations, read these articles in the Provider Newsroom:
  • Boosting flu vaccine confidence: Essential insights for providers.
  • Cigna Healthcare vaccine coverage remains unchanged following recent updates to federal childhood immunization recommendations.
  • Combatting vaccine misinformation: Five quick responses for health care providers.
  • Hepatitis B vaccine: Coverage remains unchanged following ACIP update.
  • The power of the provider to drive HPV vaccine acceptance.
• For responses to vaccine myths, view or download our vaccine misinformation flyer.
• For more information about current vaccination schedules recommended by the CDC, review Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age and Adult Immunization Schedule by Age.