BIG FALSE – A spectator emailed us saying she was paying $ 27 for her first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the Billings Clinic in Yellowstone County. But when the Department of Public Health and Human Services in Montana announced their first draft of the COVID-19 vaccination plan in late 2020, Bekki Wehner, the director of the immunization program, said in Montana: “The vaccine will be donated free of charge by the federal government is provided. “
‘Vaccination prioritises to critical groups and an estimated timeline can be found at dphhs.mt.gov. The guide contains information on 1a, 1b and 1c. This is part of the recorded message you will hear when you call the state’s helpline COVID-19 at the Montana DPHHS. In particular, it does not answer many questions, including “will I have to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine?”
So let’s answer the question: will you have to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine in Montana? The answer is … it depends.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine itself is free – although doses are purchased through US taxpayers’ money. However, the CDC, as well as local health care organizations, have said that how much you will actually pay if you are going to be vaccinated depends on where you are and where you are going to be vaccinated.
A quote from the CDC website says: “Vaccination providers can charge an administration fee to give someone a chance.” It is also noted that no one can refuse a vaccine if they cannot pay the administration fee.
In Cascade County, the City-County Health Department says the vaccine will be provided at no cost, but that is just one state. The viewer who emailed us lives in Yellowstone County, and it seems that $ 27 is accurate, at least in the Billings Clinic. According to the clinic’s website, the cost for the first dose of the vaccine is $ 27.77, while the second dose will reimburse you $ 46.54. They also add that your healthcare provider may cover some or all of the costs.
So is the COVID-19 vaccine itself free? Yes.
But will you have to pay an administration fee? It is possible, and it depends on where you live and where you are going to get the vaccine. If you are wondering how much the vaccine can cost you, it is best to visit the website of your local health department and talk to your healthcare provider.