Rep. Smucker Introduces Legislation to Modernize Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

WASHINGTON - Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, introduced the Vaccine Injury Compensation Modernization Act, legislation to modernize the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) by including COVID-19 vaccine related claims, improving access to compensation, and streamlining program administration to increase transparency and efficiency.

"Vaccines remain an important public health tool, but when rare vaccine-related injuries occur, Americans deserve a compensation system that is fair, transparent, and efficient,"said Rep. Smucker (PA-11). "Our legislation strengthens the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program while bringing COVID-19 vaccine claims into the program, so they are handled under the same fair and efficient process as other vaccine injury claims."

"Vaccines save lives and are an essential public health tool. In the rarest of instances when a related injury is suffered, compensation for medical bills and related losses should be prompt and reasonable," said Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37). "But that has not been happening because of extended delays, outdated compensation caps, and failure to include coverage for COVID-19 vaccines. By making much-needed improvements to assure a prompt and fair response to vaccine-related injuries, this legislation will bolster consumer confidence and help combat misinformation."

Currently, COVID-19 vaccine claims are processed through the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), which generally involves longer processing times and fewer procedural protections. The legislation would transfer pending COVID-19 vaccine claims to the VICP, while modernizing the program to improve transparency, reduce delays, and strengthen procedures to ensure a fair and efficient compensation process.

This legislation is co-led by Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37). A previous version of the bill was introduced by Reps. Lloyd Smucker and Lloyd Doggett during the 117^th Congress.

The Vaccine Injury Compensation Modernization Act would:

• Add COVID-19 vaccines to the Vaccine Injury Table.
• Transfer pending COVID-19 vaccine claims from the CICP to VICP.
• Increase the number of Special Masters from 8 to 10 to reduce case backlog.
• Improve case processing of both VICP and CICP by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to present a budget for sufficient resources.
• Adjust compensation amount for inflation, increasing the cap to $600,000.