The news: America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released a statement that its member health insurers will cover vaccines that were previously recommended by the CDC’s advisory committee with no cost-sharing for patients through the end of 2026. AHIP is the US’ largest health insurance association, with its member plans providing coverage for some 200 million Americans.

Why it matters: AHIP’s commitment is the first real market signal that major insurers will keep paying for children’s immunizations, as well as updated formulations of COVID-19 and flu vaccines, even if the government panel changes its recommendations.

For context, there are media reports that the federal vaccine advisory panel, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), could soften or eliminate vaccine recommendations during the group’s meetings this week. Speculation is following HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s firing of all 17 ACIP members in June, while replacing them with several people who have previously been critical of vaccines. The panel is specifically meeting to vote on immunization recommendations for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV), hepatitis B, and COVID-19.

ACIP’s recommendations are relied on by states to determine vaccine policy in schools and childcare facilities. Insurers are also required to make ACIP-recommended vaccines free, while doctors use the panel’s guidelines to make decisions on which shots to give to which patients.

Our take: AHIP’s statement doesn’t preclude states from making previously required childhood immunizations optional. (Florida has already done this.) But it should quell many people’s fears that they’ll have to pay out of pocket for routine vaccines.