The COVID Shot: A Medicare Customer Question

(Related: Active Employee Coverage and Medicare Part B: Medicare Customer Inbox)

Some Medicare questions relate to what’s on the news.

Here’s one about benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Question

Will Medicare pay for my COVID-19 vaccine?

The Answer

If and when there is a COVID-19 vaccine, the good news is that Medicare will cover the cost of the vaccine.

The CARES Act requires the vaccine be covered under Medicare Part B, or medical services.

If a client is an older worker using an employer health care plan, rather than Medicare, this may provide the client with another reason to explore coverage options and consider switching to Medicare.

Older workers can have additional health care conditions and be at greater risk for serious effects from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 — the virus that causes COVID-19.

Whether or not the COVID-19 vaccine will be covered by some or many employer health care plans is unclear.

Having Medicare coverage provides a client with a solid yes on this point.

The client may also realize additional benefits with a switch to Medicare: 93% of doctors are Medicare providers, and Medicare covers telehealth services.

A client’s health care coverage options may become increasingly critical as the pandemic continues and we wait for an approved, effective vaccine.

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Bethany Cissell is a health care insurance services specialist at Allsup.