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As the first doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine are delivered to health care workers and other early recipients, many Americans are eager to know not only when the vaccine will be available to them but also whether they will be able to get it at no cost. The answer is that providers are not allowed to charge patients who get the vaccine, at least during the public health emergency, KFF experts write in a…
In the issue brief, KFF experts highlight the laws and regulations that are in place to ensure access to free COVID-19 vaccines for individuals regardless of their insurance status and explain how vaccine administration costs will be covered in private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, and for the uninsured.
The first Americans were vaccinated today as COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed across the country. A new KFF review of states’ releases and statements about their vaccination priorities finds that most states are following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for the highest priority group (health care workers and long-term care residents), with some choosing to start with one of the populations in the first weeks as…
Drew Altman’s Axios column draws on data from the new KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor to assess where the country stands on vaccine hesitancy.
Republicans and Black Americans are More Likely to Be Hesitant but Even Among These Groups Reasons Vary KFF has launched a new COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor to dive deeply into the public’s views about the vaccine and experiences getting it for as long as the pandemic lasts. First results released today show that Americans’ enthusiasm for getting a COVID-19 vaccination varies substantially across groups, with Republicans and Black Americans among those most hesitant. Overall, 71% of…
This initial survey for the KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor tracks the public’s attitudes and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations, with a focus on sub-groups of Americans. It explores confidence in vaccines, assesses trust in messengers, and highlights key challenges for vaccination efforts.
This post reviews the latest information on state priorities for their initial COVID-19 vaccine allocations to assess which populations will get the vaccine first.
Approaching the end of 2020, two of the most pressing concerns facing the country are the long-standing issue of racial discrimination and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The issues have merged with the pandemic taking a disproportionate health and economic toll on people of color. As vaccines become available, prioritizing racial equity will become increasingly important for mitigating these disparities and preventing further widening of the going forward, especially as early polling indicates that people of…
This month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adopted a recommendation that health care workers and long-term care residents should be the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once it is authorized or approved by the FDA. A new KFF analysis estimates there are 15.5 million people working in health care settings who have direct patient contact, 1.2 million nursing facility residents and another 800,000 assisted living facility residents nationwide. These 17.6 million…
This analysis provides new national and state-level estimates of the number of health care workers and long-term care residents who are expected to be part of the group first in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to gain insight into how this initial priority population varies across states.
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