HB238 • 2026

CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS

An Act relating to the statewide immunization program; and relating to medical assistance for immunizations for children and adolescents 18 years of age or younger.

Children Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVES GRAY, Dibert
Last action: 2026-01-20
Official status: (H) HSS
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about current Medicaid coverage for children and adolescents, making it unclear what changes this act will introduce.

Childhood Immunization Act

This act updates the statewide immunization program by including vaccines recommended by both the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and adds these vaccines as an optional medical service under Medicaid for children and adolescents up to age 18.

What This Bill Does

Updates the definition of 'included vaccine' to include recommendations from both the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Adds immunizations recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for children and adolescents up to age 18 as an optional medical service under Medicaid.

Who It Names or Affects

Children and adolescents up to age 18
Healthcare providers who administer vaccines

Terms To Know

included vaccine: A vaccine recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices or the American Academy of Pediatrics, included in a list maintained by the state commissioner for inclusion in the statewide immunization program.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how funding for these changes will be provided.
It is unclear what specific vaccines are currently covered under Medicaid before this act's implementation.

Bill History

2026-01-20 1447
(H) REFERRED TO HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
2026-01-20 1447
(H) HSS, JUD
2026-01-20 1447
(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
2026-01-20 1447
(H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/9/26

Official Summary Text

CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS
An Act relating to the statewide immunization program; and relating to medical assistance for immunizations for children and adolescents 18 years of age or younger.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB0238a -1- HB 238
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HOUSE BILL NO. 238

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES GRAY, Dibert

Introduced: 1/20/26
Referred: Health and Social Services, Judiciary

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to the statewide immunization program; and relating to medical 1
assistance for immunizations for children and adolescents 18 years of age or younger." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 18.09.990(7) is amended to read: 4
(7) "included vaccine" means a vaccine recommended by the Advisory 5
Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and 6
Prevention, United States Department of Health and Human Services, or for children 7
and adolescents 18 years of age or younger, a vaccine recommended by the 8
American Academy of Pediatrics, and included on a list maintained by the 9
commissioner for inclusion in the program; 10
* Sec. 2. AS 47.07.030(b) is amended to read: 11
(b) In addition to the mandatory services specified in (a) of this section and the 12
services provided under (d) of this section, the department may offer only the 13
following optional services: case management services for traumatic or acquired brain 14
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HB 238 -2- HB0238a
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injury; case management and nutrition services for pregnant women; personal care 1
services in a recipient's home; emergency hospital services; long-term care 2
noninstitutional services; medical supplies and equipment; advanced practice 3
registered nurse services; clinic services; rehabilitative services for children eligible 4
for services under AS 47.07.063, substance abusers, and emotionally disturbed or 5
chronically mentally ill adults; targeted case management services; inpatient 6
psychiatric facility services for individuals 65 years of age or older and individuals 7
under 21 years of age; psychologists' services; clinical social workers' services; marital 8
and family therapy services; professional counseling services; midwife services; 9
prescribed drugs; physical therapy; occupational therapy; chiropractic services; low-10
dose mammography screening, as defined in AS 21.42.375(e); hospice care; treatment 11
of speech, hearing, and language disorders; adult dental and dental hygiene services; 12
prosthetic devices and eyeglasses; optometrists' services; intermediate care facility 13
services, including intermediate care facility services for persons with intellectual and 14
developmental disabilities; skilled nursing facility services for individuals under 21 15
years of age; immunizations recommended by the American Academy of 16
Pediatrics for children and adolescents 18 years of age or younger; and reasonable 17
transportation to and from the point of medical care. 18