I was wondering how they were going to pay for it.
Federal government says it will pay for any future coronavirus vaccine for all Americans
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/28/health/c ... index.html (CNN)The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it will pay for any Covid-19 vaccine that is authorized or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to allow for "broad vaccine access and coverage for all Americans."
The agency also announced it will help cover a larger portion of the cost of new Covid-19 treatments that may be coming down the pipeline for Medicare recipients.
"There are several vaccines in Phase 3 trials, production and distribution plans are well underway, and CMS is doing its part by laying the essential groundwork for coverage and payment when a vaccine does arise. It'll be widely available and accessible to seniors and every American," CMS administrator Seema Verma said during a briefing Wednesday.
"The rule removes any existing ambiguity surrounding Medicare's coverage of the Covid-19 vaccine and allows us to focus on the paramount goal of ensuring that all of Medicare's 62 million beneficiaries, including those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, can receive the vaccine at their provider, their choice, again, at no cost," said Verma.
She estimated that if "literally every senior got immunized," it would cost "likely around $2.6 billion -- that's if everybody got vaccinated in the Medicare program."