Congressman Introduces Legislation to Streamline COVID-19 Vaccine Injury Claims
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) has introduced a bill aimed at modernizing the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to incorporate pending COVID-19 vaccine injury claims. Currently, such claims are filed under the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program, but Doggett’s proposal, called the Vaccine Injury Compensation Modernization Act, seeks to shift these claims to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
In a statement, Doggett emphasized that while vaccines save lives, there are rare instances of injuries caused by errors in administration rather than the vaccines themselves. He wants individuals who suffer rare vaccine-related injuries, including those due to COVID-19 vaccinations, to receive prompt and fair compensation for medical bills and other losses.
The current system, according to Doggett, is plagued by unreasonable delays. Categorizing COVID-19 vaccine injury claims separately from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has led to an inadequate governmental system for processing these claims. To address this issue, Doggett’s bill aims to update the program, which has not seen substantial updates since its inception in 1986.
Initially, COVID-19 vaccines were placed under the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program due to their emergency authorizations. However, now that these vaccines have received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration and have been added to vaccine schedules, their compensation statuses should be transferred to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
There are currently over 7,700 COVID-19 vaccine injury claims awaiting consideration. The Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program lacks the due process protections of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and only offers compensation for medical and work-loss expenses that haven’t been covered by other payers.
If passed, the proposed legislation would not only transfer COVID-19 vaccine injury claims to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program but also extend the statute of limitations for all claims from three to five years. Additionally, the types of vaccines eligible for coverage under the program would expand to include those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for routine administration in adults.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for further consideration. The aim is for the legislation to address the significant case backlog and streamline the compensation process, ensuring that individuals who experience vaccine-related injuries receive fair and timely compensation.
In conclusion, Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Modernization Act seeks to improve the system for COVID-19 vaccine injury claims, transferring them from the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The proposed legislation also aims to extend the statute of limitations for all claims and expand the types of vaccines eligible for coverage. This bill represents an effort to provide prompt and reasonable compensation to individuals who experience rare vaccine-related injuries.
