The new COVID-19 vaccine is now available in pharmacies, but some people have reported problems getting it.
There have been reports nationwide of people signing up for vaccination appointments, only to have those appointments canceled because the supply ran out. We’ve also received a couple reports of people being told their insurance or Medicare wouldn’t cover the vaccine.
CVS and Walgreens said some pharmacies have run out of the vaccine at times as they work to make sure doses are properly distributed. And some insurance companies were slow to update their codes to indicate that the vaccinations are covered. During the public health emergency, the government simply bought the vaccines and distributed them, so pharmacies and health insurers have had to adjust to a new system.
But government, health and pharmacy officials say those problems aren’t widespread and should be resolved soon. Still, it’s possible you might encounter a problem. If your appointment gets canceled, see if it can be rescheduled or try another location. You can still use vaccines.gov to find a location near you.
Be sure to have your insurance card handy, and consider checking your plan first to be sure that COVID-19 vaccinations are covered as preventative care. You can call your insurer if you have a problem.
If you don’t have insurance, or if your plan isn’t covering the vaccine, the government has launched the Bridge Access Program to provide vaccinations at no cost. Pharmacy locations participating in the Bridge program will be listed on vaccines.gov.
Send any questions or comments to Kirk Enstrom at [email protected].
New Hampshire COVID-19 Information: