Medicare to Increase Payments for In-Home COVID-19 Vaccinations
- June 11, 2021
Medicare will pay an additional $35 per dose for COVID-19 vaccinations administered to beneficiaries in their homes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced June 9.
CMS said the move, which will increase Medicare payment from the current rate of $40 per dose to roughly $75, is aimed at incentivizing providers to offer vaccinations to the 1.6 million beneficiaries who have trouble leaving their homes.
The additional payment covers upfront costs for administering the vaccine safely in the home setting and for monitoring the beneficiary after a dose is given.
“CMS is committed to meeting the unique needs of Medicare consumers and their communities–particularly those who are home bound or who have trouble getting to a vaccination site. That’s why we’re acting today to expand the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine to people with Medicare at home,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.