People looking to receive their new COVID-19 vaccine are upset by unexpectedly high charges for the federally recommended vaccine.
Pharmacy customers across the country, including Walgreens and CVS, who booked vaccine appointments this week were surprised to learn they would feel the additional impact of three-figure fees for their boosters.
“Nightmare is the first word that comes to mind,” Acton, Massachusetts resident Glen Cote told WBZ-TV after learning his new booster would cost him $190.99.
It’s a complaint Dozens of social media users spoke out after pharmacies harassed patients everywhere from among From $125 to $200 for the latest reinforcements.
Some pharmacists even approached customers to warn them about the exorbitant fees and advise them to reschedule their appointments.
The unexpected out-of-pocket costs are partly the result of pharmacies fighting for market share of the new vaccine, The Albany Times Union reported.
Chains like CVS and Walgreens rushed to place orders for the latest shots, which were approved by the Food and Drug Administration last week, before some insurance plans updated their systems for billing codes for the new shots.
“Some payers are still updating their systems and may not yet be set up to cover updated COVID-19 vaccines,” a CVS spokesperson told WBZ.
People complained on social media about being charged up to $190 at pharmacies for their new COVID-19 vaccine.AP
COVID vaccines were free to all during the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration, which ended earlier this year. According to KFF, commercial insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid must cover vaccination costs without co-pays for patients.
People without health insurance can receive free COVID vaccines through local health care centers; state, local, tribal or territorial health departments; or pharmacies that participate in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Bridge Access program, according to the federal agency.
The latest COVID vaccine was developed to protect recipients against the XBB variants and has been shown to also provide some protection against other new variants. Last week, the CDC recommended that anyone six months or older receive a booster dose this fall.
The charges are a result of pharmacies ordering vaccines before insurance plans updated their systems with the new vaccine billing codes.REUTERS
Covid cases have increased across the country as cooler weather arrives.
The state Department of Health shows a slow but steady increase in the number of COVID cases in the five boroughs in recent months, with about 650 patients hospitalized as of Friday, including 63 in intensive care. That figure represents a minimum of 150 people hospitalized at the end of June.
This year’s hospitalizations peaked in early January, when about 1,950 people were being treated as inpatients.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn