In March of 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. On May 11, 2023, more than 3 years since that announcement, the COVID-19 public health emergency comes to an end in the U.S.
During the public health emergency, COVID-19 vaccines and treatments have been covered 100% by the U.S. Government. By the second half of 2023, the responsibility of paying for COVID-19 vaccines and treatment will move to commercial payers.
Here’s what to expect:
COVID-19 Vaccines:
- As COVID-19 vaccines move under commercial coverage, the estimated cost for Pfizer’s Comirnaty and Moderna’s Spikevax vaccines is $130 per dose.
- It is expected that the recommended schedule for COVID-19 vaccination will be annual, like that of the flu.
COVID-19 Treatment:
- As of this writing, COVID-19 treatments are available through a list of registered distributers. The U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS) national stockpile currently has over 1.5 million courses of Paxlovid available for patient use.
- It is expected that, by the second half of 2023, the cost of COVID-19 treatments will shift from the national stockpile to commercial payers.
- Per clinical guidelines, Paxlovid is the preferred treatment for COVID-19, and the therapy we expect to see prescribers utilize. The cost for Paxlovid for commercial payers hasn’t been disclosed by Pfizer, but it is currently priced at about $530 for a 5-day treatment course.
Empix Health is committed to providing a frictionless service experience; we’re continuously monitoring the COVID-19 landscape to keep our partners and clients informed. We take the stress out of benefits administration—even in the aftermath of a public health crisis—giving you time to focus on the things that matter most.
