r/publichealth 2d ago

NEWS Covid Shots Could Run $225 for Many Americans Under RFK Jr. Plan

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/covid-shots-could-run-225-for-many-americans-under-rfk-jr-plan
284 Upvotes

51 comments sorted by

160

u/whatdoyoudonext MS Global Health | PhD student - International Health 2d ago

At that price they effectively price out your average citizen. I know its all intentional, but its just a disgusting use of power to play with the health of everyone.

14

u/SARstar367 1d ago

Yup- shots for the rich and not average Joe. Feels like a broken record these days.

275

u/Stonk_Newboobie 2d ago

Personally, I would like to see RFK be placed on trial for attempted murder, due to his actions.

116

u/SmurfStig 1d ago

He should have been jailed a long time ago when he told a village in Samoa to not get the measles vaccine. Eighty some people died, including children. Even more were sicken with his stupid vitamin a garbage.

16

u/MeisterX 1d ago

That would extrapolate to Trump in his first term making decisions that knowingly led to excess deaths.

This also extrapolates to Trump now as he selected this moron for these policies.

5

u/Stonk_Newboobie 1d ago

It goes without saying.

3

u/MeisterX 1d ago

I'd agree but I see a lot of people having realizations lately. šŸ˜…

2

u/Liz_LemonLime 1d ago

Agree. He crossed the line of ā€œattemptedā€ a long time ago.

53

u/bloomberglaw 2d ago

Millions of Americans may struggle to find Covid-19 vaccines this fall, and the shots they do find are likely to be more expensive after the Food and Drug Administration this week narrowed their approvals.

The FDA on WednesdayĀ approvedĀ Covid-19 boosters fromĀ Moderna Inc.,Ā Pfizer Inc., and Novavax for individuals with qualifying conditions that put themĀ at greater riskĀ for the virus. The shots are also approved for seniors age 65 and older, while age limits for children vary by manufacturer.

Anyone under 65 without an underlying condition would technically be seeking the vaccine ā€œoff label,ā€ potentially exposing them to high out-of-pocket costs if their health plans don’t choose to cover the shots more broadly.Ā 

Moderna and Pfizer vaccines cost $225 at CVS pharmacies without insurance, a spokesperson for the retailer said.Ā Sanofi SA, which partnered with Novavax to roll out its Covid vaccine, said its shot will likely be a similar price.

Read the full story here.

- Zainab

97

u/nonsensestuff 2d ago

Disgusting that they cost so much when taxpayer dollars funded the development of the vaccine technology

17

u/zwiazekrowerzystow 1d ago

the department of defense also ran the clinical trials for these vaccines.

11

u/filbertkm 1d ago

could the states (e.g. NY and California) mandate that health insurance companies cover the COVID booster for everyone?

5

u/candygirl200413 MPH Epidemiology 1d ago

Taking the vaccine off label truly blows my mind to read like 😭😭

8

u/Gloomy_Transition350 1d ago

In previous years I was able to get the new Covid vaccine as soon as it was approved by FDA. As in the next day. This year, it is unavailable.

3

u/Soggie1977 1d ago

Quick trip to Canada.

2

u/Substantial-Spare501 1d ago

Canada ordered enough vaccine for their population, not ours. It will also cost you there, so why not pay and get it here?

3

u/Gloomy_Transition350 1d ago

I’m willing to pay. I can’t get it here in a semi-red state. It isn’t available.

2

u/PinCompetitive6007 1d ago

In my mind the paying part isnt the issue, the supply concern is.

1

u/Substantial-Spare501 1d ago

I just looked at both VT and NH Walgreens and you can get vaccines there. You just have to declare that you have a health issue on the list. They did. It require a prescription like my blue state does. So maybe look for closest blue state to you that allows you to do this.

1

u/Gloomy_Transition350 19h ago

I qualify by age according to published regs. But it’s still showing as unavailable in my state. We have an R governor.

1

u/Substantial-Spare501 13h ago

Yes it’s unavailable in a few states around me right now. So for instance PA and MA still say unavailable and they are blue states. It will be available in your state most likely.

73

u/SilverDubloon 2d ago

Y'all, it's about to get bad. I wouldn't be surprised if we see citizenship requirements for all health department and FQHC services, including vaccines. We're already seeing it on a program level in some states. It they can't get away with an outright vaccine ban they're going to make them inaccessible to as many people as possible.

10

u/MeisterX 1d ago

Only citizens spread disease /s

7

u/ElsieBeing 1d ago

Same as they chipped away at abortion, but on a speed run.

19

u/nothingleft2burn 1d ago

Right now the price for Novavax is around $150 from Costco with GoodRx, which is the same price as last year. Pfizer appears to be less than that. If you're interested in getting a vaccine and paying yourself make sure you check websites like that.

For those that aren't aware, I'd bet that anyone that wants a vaccine qualifies. The list of underlying conditions includes mood disorders, like depression. If you aren't depressed by what's going on these days, well, you have more issues than I do.

6

u/BleppingCats 1d ago

You can also just tell whoever is vaccinating you that you have an underlying condition. I personally doubt they would waste time trying to check.

Plus, the list of underlying conditions is enormous. I suspect more people than bit have at least one.

3

u/Liz_LemonLime 1d ago

This page hasn’t been updated since February. And it uses words such as ā€œethnic minority.ā€

If I have a family of 4, and it’s going to cost $600 min to vaccinate us for an illness I might get, and it would cause me to definitely fall behind on bills, I’m choosing to keep the lights on.

I’ve been there.

Currently, I haven’t been in that bad of a situation for a while, but it would knock out a month of my HSA contributions and wouldn’t go towards my insurance deductible. That would be a hard choice to make, and I’m in public health.

Getting diagnosed with an underlying condition requires going to a doctor, likely a primary care doc. In my area with a highly rated healthcare system, it still takes 4-6 weeks to get in as a new patient.

I personally have an underlying condition. The rest of my family doesn’t.

I would still have to make an appointment with my provider, which would be ~$150, to discuss getting it approved by insurance for ā€œoff label use.ā€ Now I have to follow up with them to see if they will cover it.

Much different than what I do now. I think, oh damn it’s fall already, time for shots. Bring the fam on my next grocery run and we get them same day for free.

Also much different than what I did during the tough times with poor insurance. Same, oh damn it’s fall already, time for shots. Make an appointment with the local health department for reduced cost shots (~10 At the time for flu)

I think I’ve put more energy into writing this post than I do getting my family our seasonal vaccines. :/

2

u/Substantial-Spare501 1d ago

I tried to make an appointment for the vaccine yesterday at CVS and Walgreens online. They both said I had to have a prescription from my primary care provider sent in.

32

u/SeatpitchbyKate 2d ago

This is infuriating. Are there not some, SOME f’in Republican members of Congress or someone who is close to Trump who can convince him to fire Kennedy’s ass? This is insane.

10

u/HMWT 1d ago

You could ask Senator Cassidy how he now feels about his vote to confirm Kennedy. I send him a nastygram any time his secretary does something bad.

https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/contact/get-in-touch/

https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-delivers-floor-speech-in-support-of-rfk-jr-to-be-hhs-secretary/

8

u/SeatpitchbyKate 1d ago

I sent him one today

36

u/escahpee 1d ago

It's called Public Health for a reason. If everyone is sick and dying so will they. The wealthy won't be immune. The people who are running our government are fools

12

u/LolaBleu 1d ago

They're zealots and grifters, not fools.

7

u/nothingleft2burn 1d ago

That's just it. They do think they'll escape unscathed. It's baffling. These billionaires spent their cash talking to futurists to glean not how to make the world better, but things like would use of disciplinary collars save them from their own guards after the apocalypse. They're excited by the idea of mass death.

12

u/raventhrowaway666 1d ago

The goal is to kill as many americans as possible

8

u/BwayEsq23 1d ago

Just the poor ones. Raise the price so only a few of us can afford it and tough luck for those who can’t. If only someone said this would happen before they voted for the guy who created a regime that wants middle and lower income brackets gone.

9

u/epi_geek 1d ago

If I see ANY of these evil morons getting the covid vaccine after effectively putting it out of reach of most Americans I’m going to go ballistic.

1

u/Liz_LemonLime 1d ago

There’s a reason so few of them got Covid. And when the one we were all waiting for did, it was mild.

7

u/zenboi92 1d ago

Is this the 1,500% discount on pharmaceuticals I’ve been hearing about?

4

u/Rescuepets777 1d ago

Get your boosters now

2

u/dkinmn 1d ago

How?

3

u/Rescuepets777 1d ago

They're available at Fry's and other locations in Arizona. I assume they're available elsewhere.

5

u/HMWT 1d ago

Presumably they are not the current season formula yet?

4

u/West-Application-375 1d ago

Theyre not. We need to wait for the new shot.

2

u/SharksAndFrogs 1d ago

CVS is taking appointments in California. First is 9/4/25

4

u/deadflamingo 1d ago

RFK belongs in jail.

4

u/pangea_lox 1d ago

Fun fact: rich families aren’t going to die or suffer, rural communities are going to experience MAGA in full glory

3

u/HMWT 1d ago

Are the shots available to anyone in Canada? I’d rather pay for it in Canada, since I am in driving distance from the border.

(obviously I don’t expect Canada’s national healthcare system to provide a free vaccine to a visitor/tourist)

1

u/SharksAndFrogs 1d ago

I've been trying to figure that out myself.

3

u/hmiser 1d ago

Free to $225… what’s that like a 1500% price reduction?

1

u/West-Application-375 1d ago

Idgaf I'll get one anyways.