Covid Boosters Aren’t Reaching People Who Want Them
The shift in responsibility for Covid-19 shot distribution from federal agencies to the commercial market is off to a rocky start. People eager to get updated Covid-19 vaccines are having their appointments canceled or encountering confusion over insurance coverage. CVS said some appointments were rescheduled because of delivery delays.
Walgreens paused online scheduling at some stores. Other people have encountered delays in insurance coverage for the shots, which was supposed to begin immediately. Public-health experts said the setbacks risked discouraging people from getting the shots, as health officials are fighting to get more people vaccinated against a triple-threat of respiratory viruses this fall.
“This subgroup of people who really want to get this vaccine, and that may include people who are ill and are older, are not able to easily access it," said Jennifer Kates, who helped lead health-policy group KFF’s Covid-19 work. The federal government is no longer paying for Covid-19 vaccines, after the public-health emergency ended in May. Payment for the shots has been taken over by insurance companies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set up a program for the uninsured to get free shots at some health departments, centers and pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens. Most insurers are required to pay for the updated Covid-19 vaccines, which cost more than $120 without coverage. But some only fully cover them through in-network providers and pharmacies.
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