The New COVID Shots and Insurance Coverage
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NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - Californer -- The Role of Booster Shots

• Health authorities in several countries, including the U.S. have authorized new booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines.
• Booster shots are intended to strengthen the immune response, especially for those who received their initial vaccinations several months ago. They are seen as a crucial tool to help maintain immunity, reduce the risk of severe illness and minimize the spread of the virus.
• The CDC recommends that everyone ages six months and up get the booster, but especially people who are over 65 or those who have weakened immune systems or certain other medical conditions, such as chronic lung disease, obesity, advanced diabetes or kidney disease.
• The new boosters are a much closer match to currently circulating variants than prior vaccines and are formulated to target a relatively recent omicron subvariant called XBB. 1.5.
• COVID vaccination reduces the risk of long COVID among both children and adults.
• The CDC says you can get a flu vaccine and a COVID vaccine at the same time.

Insurance Coverage:

• Coverage varies by insurance provider and most plans cover it. Some states offer free vaccines and boosters at city-run vaccine sites.
• Some private health insurance plans may cover the cost of booster shots as preventive care, while others may require a copayment or deductible.
• Medicare Part B and C still cover the updated COVID-19 vaccines, including booster shots, at no cost.
• The CDC's Bridge Access Program offers COVID-19 vaccines at no cost for adults ages 18-64 without health insurance and adults whose health insurance does not provide zero-cost coverage for COVID-19 vaccines.
• The CDC has new contracts with CVS, Walgreens, and eTrueNorth to provide no-cost COVID-19 vaccines.

Statistics About COVID Vaccines and boosters.

• At least 270,227,181 people or 81% of the population have received at least one dose.
• Overall, 230,637,348 people or 70% of the population are considered fully vaccinated.
• More women than men have been vaccinated for COVID.

Professional Quote:

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Michael Orefice, SVP of Operations at SmartFinancial (https://smartfinancial.com/), an insurance-comparison website, says:

"In most states, the new Covid booster will be widely available by the end of September or early October. If your health insurance does not fully cover vaccinations, consider switching insurers come open enrollment, which begins November 1. You may also be able to find free vaccine and booster administration at a contracted pharmacy, like CVS and Walgreens, or at city-run Covid vaccination sites. Getting the flu shot and COVID booster at the same time is okay and can greatly reduce the chances of getting sick or needing to visit the emergency room this fall. Having a robust health insurance plan could mean zero out-of-pocket expenses for COVID prevention"



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