Now that the latest COVID-19 boosters have been approved by both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you might be wondering just how much a COVID booster will cost, and if your insurance will cover the shot.
In short, the answer is yes: Most people will be able to have the cost of their latest booster covered, whether you have private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. There’s also a way to get a free COVID booster if you don’t have insurance at all.
Keep in mind that the CDC recommends the booster to everyone over the age of 6 months — even if you’ve had COVID previously. Here’s everything you need to know.
How to get a free COVID shot if you have private insurance
If you have an employer health insurance plan through Cigna, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross Blue Shield, or one of the many other commercial providers — your COVID booster will likely be free.
However, you may need to visit a particular in-network location or provider’s office or pharmacy depending on your individual plan. Log into your insurer’s account to see what restrictions may apply.
How to get a free COVID shot if you have Medicare or Medicaid
Medicare continues to cover the cost of the COVID booster, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to the individual. Make sure to bring your Medicare card with you to your vaccine appointment. ‘
Medicaid recipients will also pay nothing for their boosters. Go to Vaccines.gov or call the number on your Medicaid card to find participating providers who will administer the vaccines for free.
If you paid for a COVID vaccine or received a bill for one, contact your healthcare provider and let them know you were incorrectly billed. If the charges are not reversed, you can also report anything suspicious here or by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
How to get a free COVID shot if you don’t have insurance
The CDC estimates that some 25 to 30 million Americans do not have health insurance. For those people, the Bridge Access program is designed to provide no-cost COVID vaccines. The program runs now through December 31, 2024.
The free vaccines will be available at participating healthcare providers, federally supported health centers and retail pharmacies including CVS, Walgreens and eTrueNorth.
You can visit Vaccines.gov to find a vaccination site close to you that’s participating in the government’s Bridge Access program. You can also search for your local health department or find a local health center that is participating in the program.
“Protecting people from COVID-19 remains a top priority for CDC,” said CDC director, Mandy Cohen, M.D., in a press release. “Ultimately, we know that vaccines save money and lives. Vaccination is especially important as we head into fall and winter, a time when COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases are likely to circulate.”
When should you get a COVID vaccine?
According to the CDC recommendations, anyone over the age of 6 months is eligible for a COVID booster if it’s been at least eight weeks (around two months) since your last booster.
If you’ve recently had a COVID infection, experts told The Messenger to wait about 90 days (or around three months) before you get your booster. And, if you’re currently wondering whether that stuffy nose and sore throat is COVID, flu, or something else, read this. You can also go here to determine when you should take an at-home COVID test.
You may consider waiting until after September 26, however, to make your booster appointment because that’s when insurance companies and pharmacies will reportedly settle some coverage logistics that may have lead to earlier issues, according to VeryWell Health.
