Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander on Thursday said the Trump Administration is “doing the right thing by providing free COVID-19 vaccines for tens of millions of Americans including seniors and low-income families,” after the Trump Administration released a plan that makes COVID-19 vaccines free for seniors through Medicare, low-income populations through Medicaid, and those with private insurance.
The plan also bans providers from sending surprise bills to recipients of a vaccine, clarifies how doctors and hospitals get paid for treating seniors with novel treatments and providing a vaccine for COVID-19, and increases price transparency for COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
“I commend the Trump Administration for its commitment to making sure that patients—particularly seniors and low-income patients—will be able to get COVID-19 vaccines administered at no cost and without the threat of receiving a surprise medical bill months later,” Alexander continued.
“By making vaccines free and protecting patients from surprise bills, the Trump Administration is helping to ensure that once a COVID-19 vaccine is available, cost will not be a barrier for Americans. The rules also remove red tape so hospitals and doctors can get paid more easily for novel COVID-19 treatments, and requires the cash prices for diagnostic tests for COVID-19 to be made public which will help protect patients and control costs,” the senator said.