Gov. Hobbs orders that new COVID shots be available in Arizona

Gov. Katie Hobbs issued an executive order late Thursday designed to ensure that COVID vaccines remain available in Arizona to those who want them — regardless of new directives from the federal government.

But it won’t necessarily mean insurance companies will pay for them.

Hobbs’ action allows the Arizona Department of Health Services to issue a “standing order’’ that can serve as a prescription for the vaccine.

That comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently scrapped existing guidelines that had allowed virtually anyone to get the vaccine without a prescription. Individuals previously could walk into pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens and simply ask for the shot.

Now the federal guidance allows only those 65 and older to be immunized or those younger who have at least one high-risk health condition. Anyone else needs a prescription.

The governor’s order says the state health department will issue blanket prescriptions for pharmacists and health-care providers to administer the vaccine “in accordance with nationally recognized professional clinical guidance that ensures the broadest possible access.’’

“We are taking action to protect the health care freedom of Arizonans,’’ Hobbs said in a written statement.

“Vaccines are critical tools that safeguard public health and prevent serious illness,’’ she continued. “Arizonans and their doctors deserve the freedom to access the COVID vaccine if it is right for them.’’

And Hobbs said that, with her order, “we are following the science and ensuring that Arizonans have access to vaccines to keep themselves and their families safe.’’

Hobbs is making it clear she believes the changes in federal guidance about who can and cannot get vaccinated, started after vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became Secretary of Health and Human Services, are not scientifically sound.

The federal government’s new “limited approval is in conflict with both scientific, peer-reviewed evidence and the evidence-based recommendations of trusted healthcare professional organizations,’’ Hobbs wrote in her executive order. She also called it “contrary to recent prior federal recommendations’’ that had advised COVID vaccination for the broader public.

“All available scientific, trusted, and peer-reviewed evidence indicates that the currently available COVID-19 vaccines are safe, and are the most effective way of preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death,’’ she wrote.

The Governor’s Office specifically said in its news release that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends COVID vaccines for people 18 and younger. The release also cites the recommendation of the American Academy of Family Physicians that adults 18 and older get vaccinated. Also, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says pregnant women should be inoculated.

Shots haven’t been available in pharmacies

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Hobbs’ order could result in a change in availability at some pharmacies.

Pharmacies in Arizona were not giving out the vaccines to anyone without a prescription, even to people who fit within the new FDA guidelines of being over 65 or having an underlying health condition, The Arizona Republic reported this week.

CVS, for instance, had previously announced it would offer the vaccine only in certain states based on what the chain says is required. Arizona is currently not one of them.

Also, Arizona’s largest health system hasn’t been administering updated COVID-19 shots and was not giving out prescriptions for them, either. Prior to Hobbs’ order, Banner told The Arizona Republic that the company was awaiting the outcome from a Sept. 18-19 meeting of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Insurers often base coverage decisions on the advisory committee’s decisions.

Insurance coverage still a question

The question of cost remains.

The new federal guidelines say that for most people the vaccines are no longer recommended. Insurance companies generally do not cover vaccines that are not considered medically necessary.

Some states, including Connecticut, have laws and regulations that require insurance policies to cover such vaccinations, regardless of the actions of the FDA or the Centers for Disease Control.

Hobbs’ press aide, Christian Slater, said she is issuing no such directive. He said Hobbs, unlike some other governors, has no such authority.

“But it’s still important to ensure that people have access to the vaccine ... and have the freedom to make the choice,’’ Slater said.

Hobbs is telling the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions to “coordinate with and encourage all health plans under its regulatory authority to continue to cover COVID-19 vaccines.’’

The state health department reports that unvaccinated individuals age 5 and older were seven times more likely to need to be hospitalized than those who were vaccinated with an updated booster. And their risk of dying was 8.8 times as much.

Other states have made moves similar to that of Hobbs.

The California Department of Public Health said Wednesday it is endorsing the recommendations of the same organizations Hobbs is citing. Those include specific recommendations to vaccinate children 6 months to 2 years old, as well as people who are pregnant and lactating.