On September 11, the FDA approved and authorized for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines are formulated to more closely target COVID-19 variants that are currently circulating. The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines may be available as early as this week.
The new COVID vaccines are covered for Medicare beneficiaries – both those in traditional Medicare and those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. Beneficiaries enrolled in MA may be limited by their plan to a network of specific providers or pharmacies for coverage of the vaccine.
Additional Resources:
- CDC Recommends Updated COVID-19 Vaccine for Fall/Winter Virus Season | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC
- What Vaccines Are Covered by Medicare? (aarp.org)
- FDA Takes Action on Updated mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines to Better Protect Against Currently Circulating Variants | FDA
September 21, 2023 – K. Kertesz