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COVID Vaccines Costing Up To $140 Without Insurance; Hundreds In SF Line Up For Free Shot

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- While it's the season to get your COVID-19 booster, many uninsured people are finding it's a lot harder to get the shot this year.

What used to be free, is now costing over a hundred dollars.

Over the weekend, hundreds of people waited in line in San Francisco's Mission District to get their free COVID-19 booster shots on 24th Street. Only 200 made it to the front the line successfully.

"We turned over 300 people away this weekend from getting the vaccine. Definitely the need and demand is there - unfortunately the supply is what we don't have," said Susana Rojas, spokesperson for Unidos en Salud.

Reality is that now COVID-19 vaccines are not as accessible for people without insurance. This year's booster can cost $130 to $140.

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"Is this capitalism or is this everything gone array because to be honest, I don't know why they are that expensive. With the investments these companies have received from tax payer dollars to develop the vaccines through Operation Warp Speed and beyond that - we should not have them be this expensive," said Dr. Monica Gandhi, UCSF Infectious Diseases.

According to Dr. Gandhi's research, at this point these vaccines are not costing much to make.

"Something like $25 per shot, so this is quite a price hike. Five times higher," said Dr. Gandhi.

At Mission Wellness Pharmacy, the owner is noticing firsthand the setbacks many are facing now.

"Some of the limitations would be - if their insurance would allow them to get the vaccine here; if a patient is insured, can they come to Mission Wellness to get the vaccine?," said Maria Lopez, Owner of Mission Wellness Pharmacy. "Some insurances require their patients to go to certain places."

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We met Odera Okafor waiting in line for her COVID booster appointment at Walgreens. She was shocked to learn of the current price and was concerned of the equity aspect of it.

"I did not know about the price if you didn't have health insurance. I think that is a little wild," said Okafor.

If you don't have insurance, the federal Bridge Access Program provides no-cost COVID-19 vaccines, but not all pharmacies participate in this program. Dr. Gandhi is concerned not many know of this option.

"When they ended the public health emergency on May 11, 2024, there was a promise made by this administration that we would have ongoing access until Sept. 2024 to vaccinate for under and uninsured patients," said Dr. Gandhi, "It's not always being honored and I'm really worried about that for uninsured patients."

Dr. Gandhi broke down who should get vaccinated, "The WHO and most of the organizations are saying those who are older, those on immune suppressants and those with multiple comorbidities. I would encourage those groups to get vaccine."

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COVID-19 Shots Will Be Free For Most, Regardless Of Insurance

The latest, updated COVID-19 vaccines should soon be available to everyone and offered largely free of cost, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health authorities recommend that everyone over the age of 6 months should get the shot, which is designed to offer additional protection against current sub variants.

Though it's the first season that COVID vaccines will no longer be covered by the government, insurance companies as well as government-run programs like Medicaid and Medicare are expected to cover the shot. Pfizer and Moderna had both previously announced the vaccines would be listed at between $120 to $130 after they switched to the private market – but that's a price nobody is expected to have to pay.

MORE: CDC recommends new COVID booster for all Americans over 6 months amid rising cases, hospitalizations

The estimated 25-30 million adults without insurance or with limited insurance plans will still have access to the vaccines for free through a CDC initiative called the Bridge Access Program. The program is designed to provide vaccines through local health care providers and health centers, and select pharmacies.

"HHS is working to ensure COVID-19 vaccines will be widely available nationwide beginning as early as this week to help protect the American public from the most severe outcomes of COVID-19 as we head into the fall and winter months," said Xavier Becerra, the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

"Our message is simple: Don't wait. Get an updated COVID-19 vaccine. It's safe and effective," Becerra added.

An estimated 85% of adults without insurance live fewer than five miles from a site offering free vaccines for the uninsured, according to the CDC. However, that number drops to 39% in rural areas.

Uninsured children will also be able to access vaccinations through the Vaccines for Children program, which offers them at no cost to eligible kids through a national network of participating health care providers. To qualify, one must be under the age of 18, American Indian or Alaska Native, Medicaid-eligible, or be under-insured or uninsured, according to the CDC.

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Both CVS and Walgreens plan to administer COVID-19 vaccine doses at select store locations. The retailers plan to have vaccines available in more meaningful supply starting early next week.

"Individuals will be able to schedule appointments immediately, with available appointments starting nationwide on Monday, September 18," Walgreens said in a statement. "Earlier appointments may be added on a rolling basis as stores receive vaccines this week."

CVS likewise declared in a statement on September 13: "Pharmacies and retail medical clinics will begin receiving the new vaccine and will continue to receive inventory on a rolling basis throughout the week. All CVS Pharmacy locations are expected to have the vaccination in stock by early next week."

Experts were initially concerned that there would be a delayed vaccine rollout for the uninsured, yet officials at HHS and the CDC shared that both people with and without insurance should be able to receive the shots on the same timeline.

Pfizer And Moderna Announce Prices For New COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

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Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will be charging between $120 and $130 for the singular dose of their mRNA vaccines. The Novavax vaccine, which is simpler to produce than the mRNA vaccines, will cost approximately $72.50 per dose.

In July, the Biden administration announced it would begin the commercialization of COVID-19 vaccine doses, establishing traditional market pathways for vaccine rollout rather than purchase and dissemination by the U.S. Government under emergency measures.

The CDC, however, is administering the Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 vaccine doses, which will, for a limited time, provide free doses to the 30 million uninsured people and those whose insurance will not cover the costs of the vaccine doses.

CVS, Walgreens, and other pharmacies have already coordinated with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure equitable vaccine access, per the CDC.

"Ultimately, we know that vaccines save money and lives. Vaccination is especially important as we head into fall and winter, a time when COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases are likely to circulate," CDC Director Mandy Cohen said at the time of the announcement.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Although public health organizations are monitoring new variants, including the highly mutated BA 2.86, the FDA said in its approval announcement on Monday that new monovalent vaccines will be "a good match for protecting against the currently circulating COVID-19 variants."

Representatives at the CDC advisory meeting on Tuesday indicated that various strains of omicron XBB are still dominant among the circulating SARS-CoV-2 viruses despite concerns regarding BA 2.86.

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