Free Vaccines Available Now Until May 11: Act Now Before Prices Go Up
The Biden Administration plans to end the public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2021.[0] As a result, the federal government will no longer purchase and distribute the vaccine to the public at an average price of $21 per dose. Instead, Pfizer and Moderna have indicated that they will raise the price of their vaccine to somewhere in the range of $110 to $130 per dose.[1]
Insured individuals enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, and Affordable Care Act exchanges will be able to receive the vaccine at no cost. Individuals with job-based insurance may also not face copayments for the vaccine. However, those with limited-benefit or short-term insurance policies may be required to pay for the vaccine. Uninsured individuals may have to pay for the vaccine out-of-pocket or seek no- or low-cost vaccinations from community clinics or other providers.
It is important for individuals to take advantage of the free vaccines while they are still available. This is especially true for those who may not be able to afford the increased cost of the vaccine when it becomes available on the commercial market.
0. “US to Stop Offering Free COVID Vaccines This Fall: What it Means For Mass.” NBC10 Boston, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/us-to-stop-offering-free-covid-vaccines-this-fall-what-it-means-for-mass/2966734
1. “U.S. plans to stop buying Covid shots for the public this fall. Here's what that means for you” CNBC, 4 Feb. 2023, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/04/us-plans-to-stop-buying-covid-shots-in-the-fall-what-that-means.html
