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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for Medicare to cover a coronavirus vaccine, should one be developed. The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) will determine potential coronavirus Medicare coverage.
Published March 5, 2020
Follow our Medicare Coronavirus News page for related information on coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on Medicare beneficiaries.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is campaigning to have a coronavirus vaccine covered by Medicare.
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A vaccine for the virus (COVID-19), which infiltrated the U.S. in February after weeks of global spread, is still being developed, with no timetable for when one might be available for distribution.
Schumer called for Medicare to cover the vaccine when and if one does become available, saying at a press conference that his plan to have Medicare fully cover the cost of the vaccine “will mean no senior will be forced to make the choice between shelling out and going without.”
Medicare is the nation’s largest health insurance provider and covers around 65 million American seniors and people with disabilities.
Medicare Part B currently offers coverage for a number of vaccines including the flu and shingles. Other vaccines, such as tetanus, are typically covered Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans that offer prescription drug coverage.
Schumer outlined a plan to add a provision to the spending package currently being negotiated in Congress that would allow those on Medicare to receive a coronavirus vaccine free of charge.
The coronavirus has so far affected older adults at a far greater rate than younger people. Eligibility for Medicare begins at age 65, or younger, with a qualifying disability.
While no cost estimate has been prepared, a spokesperson for Schumer said it will save money in the long term if the vaccine prevents people from getting sick and requiring costly treatment.
The Trump administration allocated $2.5 billion to fight the coronavirus. Schumer proposed an $8.5 billion plan that included $2 billion to reimburse state and local governments and $1 billion for vaccine development.
Seema Verma, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), responded to Schumer’s proposal by saying that Medicare may not be able to pay for all products and services required for coronavirus patients.
In a press briefing on March 2, 2020, Verma said, “We are looking at what we cover and clarifying the types of products and services that our programs will be able to pay for in terms of Medicare and Medicaid.”
During a Feb. 26 congressional hearing, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said, “We would want to ensure that we work to make (the vaccine) affordable, but we can’t control that price because we need the private sector to invest. Price controls won’t get us there.”
Vaccines currently covered by Medicare are paid for by Medicare Part B, the optional portion of Medicare that covers outpatient care, durable medical equipment (DME) and many preventive services like vaccines, screenings and tests.
Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies and cover the same benefits that are offered by Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B). If Original Medicare were to offer a coronavirus vaccine, Medicare Advantage plans would also pay for the vaccine.
Most Medicare Advantage plans also cover prescription drugs, which Original Medicare doesn’t cover. Some plans may also cover things like routine dental and vision care, non-emergency medical transportation, home meal delivery and more.
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Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
..Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.
Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.
Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.
A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.
By clicking "Sign me up!” you are agreeing to receive emails from MedicareAdvantage.com.
Your Medicare guide will arrive in your email inbox shortly. You can also look forward to informative email updates about Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
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