By Sabrina Corlette and Madeline O’Brien

With the news that promising vaccines are close to approval comes hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon end. The federal government is working with states on the herculean task of distributing the vaccine safely and efficiently. Equally important is making sure that people can receive the vaccine for free, regardless of their insurance status.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, most people with private insurance should have CDC-recommended vaccinations covered with no cost-sharing obligations. The ACA requirement sets a minimum standard; states may impose additional requirements on insurers. In their latest To the Point post for the Commonwealth Fund, CHIR’s Sabrina Corlette and Madeline O’Brien review the scope of federal and state mandates and assess potential gaps that consumers could still fall into. Read the full blog post here.