Washington: The Trump administration this week will announce a plan to cover the out-of-pocket costs of Covid-19 vaccines for millions of Americans who receive Medicare or Medicaid, according to insider sources with the knowledge of the pending announcement.
Under the planned rule, Medicare and Medicaid will now cover vaccines that receive emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, the sources said, which is a change from current policy. The regulations, which have been under development for weeks, are likely to be announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Tuesday or Wednesday.
At least two Covid-19 vaccine developers have said they plan to apply for an emergency use authorization before the end of the year.
The administration is “working to ensure that no American has to pay for the vaccine,” said one official. The administration’s planned rule also will address other Covid-19-related issues, like expanding flexibility for Medicaid patients seeking care for the coronavirus, two people familiar with the plan said.
