COVID-19 Vaccine Commercialization FAQs

Vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adult populations will be made available through the HHS Bridge Access Program. For more information about BAP, please see resources listed in the Bridge Access Program section . The White House has also proposed a Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program in the FY2023 and FY2024 Presidential Budgets, which would create a permanent, mandatory program modeled after the successful Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, to cover vaccination at no cost for uninsured and underinsured adults. 

3. After COVID-19 vaccine commercialization, will COVID-19 vaccines be offered and supplied by the state at no cost, similar to the flu vaccine?  

State-purchased doses of COVID-19 vaccines will only be made available through publicly funded vaccine programs: Vaccines for Children Program and the Bridge Access Program. For more information, please see Vaccine and Clinic Eligibility Guidelines by Funding Source (Coming Soon) 

4. Now that the California COVID-19 Vaccination Program has ended, are Providers still required to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to patients? 

5. If a Provider no longer offers the COVID-19 vaccine, where can they refer patients seeking it? 

Patients with health insurance will be able to get COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to the patient from their insurance plan. Patients without health insurance or with health plans that do not cover the cost of a COVID-19 vaccine can get a free vaccine from their local health centers; state, local, tribal, or territorial health department; and pharmacies participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Patients without health insurance or with health plans that do not cover the cost of a COVID-19 vaccine can get a free vaccine from their local health centers; state, local, tribal, or territorial health department; and pharmacies participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program also may receive the vaccine from a provider enrolled in that program. See COVID-19 Vaccine Access & Ordering infographic and CDC Press Release for more information.  

6. How will CDPH promote health equity during commercialization? 

CDPH is working with local health departments, federally qualified health centers, rural health centers and other partners to provide federally purchased COVID-19 vaccine to uninsured and underinsured adults in California through the Bridge Access Program.  

The California Vaccines for Children program will offer COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to children in California who are uninsured, underinsured, eligible for Medi-Cal, or American Indian or Native Alaskan.  

The State of California will continue extensive promotion of COVID-19 vaccine to all Californians, and will work to address health disparities and reach those most impacted by the pandemic. 

7. What is the Bridge Access Program (BAP)? 

On April 18th, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the HHS Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments.  The purpose of this program is to help maintain access to COVID-19 care (vaccines and therapeutics) for underinsured and uninsured adults 19 years of age and older, through existing public health infrastructure, HRSA-supported health centers (i.e., Health Centers), and participating pharmacies, via two major components: 

• Provide support for the existing public sector vaccine safety net, implemented and maintained by state immunization programs and HRSA-supported health centers.  
• Create a funded partnership with pharmacy chains that will enable them to continue offering free COVID-19 vaccinations and treatments. 

8. Which providers are eligible to enroll in the BAP? 

• Local Health Departments (LHDs) – LHDs will select additional sites that routinely serve large numbers of uninsured persons. 
• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) / Rural Health Centers (RHCs) 
• Indian Health Service (IHS) sites and Tribal clinics 

9. Which providers are NOT eligible to enroll in the BAP? 

• Providers that do not routinely serve large numbers of uninsured/underinsured patients. 
• Multi-County entities (MCEs) will not typically be eligible. 

10. When will Providers find out if they can participate in the Bridge Access Program? 

Providers we informed of their BAP participation status on September 8, 2023. Providers who did not receive a communication about BAP participation from CDPH are not part of the Bridge Access Program. If a provider believes that this is a mistake, they should contact their Local Health Department (LHD).  

11. Will correctional facilities be eligible to enroll in BAP? 

CDPH encourages correctional facilities to look at their current systems for purchasing other vaccines and include COVID-19 vaccine in that system. Local Health Department (LHD) may choose to use some of their allocation for correctional facilities.   

12. For how long will HHS Bridge Access Program (BAP) be conducted?  

BAP is a public-private partnership meant to act as a temporary measure to prevent loss of access to free COVID-19 vaccines and treatment for under-and-uninsured persons. It is temporary and began on September 4, 2023, and will end December 31, 2024. 

13. Who is eligible to receive no-cost COVID-19 vaccines through the Bridge Access Program? 

Adults without insurance and those whose insurance does not provide cost-free coverage for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments are eligible. For more information, please see the BAP Eligibility Based On Insurance Status form.   

14. Where will eligible people for the Bridge Access Program get vaccinated? 

Eligible people will be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at local health jurisdictions (LHJs), federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), Indian Health Services sites, tribal clinics, and some pharmacy locations. 

There is currently no source of funding for vaccine administration fees for BAP-eligible providers giving BAP doses, with the exception of funding from HRSA for FQHCs. For more information about the BAP funding going to the FQHCs, please see FY 2023 COVID-19 Bridge Funding for Health Centers | Bureau of Primary Health Care (hrsa.gov). 

Yes. Providers will have to have separate accounts for each clinic site. CDC requires that COVID-19 vaccines be shipped directly to each clinic location so that BAP sites order and receive vaccines at the location where the doses will be administered. Under BAP, redistribution will no longer be allowed.  

17. When will LHDs know the quantity of their BAP allocations? 

CDPH sent BAP allocations on 8/28/23. Allocations are limited and LHDs will be reviewing and approving orders for BAP-eligible providers. 

• offer all immunizations recommended by ACIP to all VFC-eligible children, including COVID-19 vaccines; 
• maintain an adequate inventory of vaccine for all patients served, including commercial patients; 
• appropriately schedule and place vaccine orders, rotate vaccine stock properly to ensure adequate vaccine supply, and ensure timely use of short-dated vaccine; 
• use the same order process used for all current vaccines; instructions for COVID-19 vaccine ordering will be communicated before it begins; 
• report on-hand inventory, waste, spoiled, and expired COVID-19 vaccine on their myVFCvaccines.org provider accounts; 
• be subject to Quality Assurance and Compliance Visits from the VFC Program;  

• track doses administered through the California Immunization Registry (CAIR) like other routine vaccines.  

19. How should providers manage, and track COVID-19 vaccine received through the VFC Program? 

Providers should track doses administered through the California Immunization Registry similar to other routine vaccines. Unused doses that are no longer viable and that cannot be returned to the VFC should be reported as wasted doses. Providers can return unopened non-viable vaccines to the VFC Program by submitting a VFC Return Form on the myVFCvaccines.org website. 

21. Will there be changes in ordering through myCAvax after commercialization? 

Yes. Only those who are part of the California Bridge Access Program (BAP) are able to order COVID-19 vaccines in myCAvax. Privately purchased COVID-19 vaccines will need to be ordered either through distributors or directly from the manufacturers.   

22. Will ancillary kits be shipped with COVID-19 vaccine that is purchased privately? 

No. COVID-19 vaccine products ordered privately or through publicly funded COVID-19 vaccine programs (e.g., Vaccines for Children Program, Bridge Access Program) will NOT include ancillary kits. Providers should look at ancillary suppliers and consider needs post-commercialization to ensure they have adequate supply of ancillary supplies budgeted and planned to purchase. For Moderna & Novavax, providers may contact McKesson Specialty at 833-343-2703 or COVIDVaccineSupport@McKesson.com. For Pfizer,providers may contact McKesson MedSurg at 833-272-6634 or SNSSupport@McKesson.com. 

23. Should providers dispose of diluent when commercialization begins?  

Providers should always dispose of expired diluent. More information on nonexpired diluent is forthcoming. 

24. After commercialization of COVID-19 vaccines, will the 24-hour reporting deadline to the California Immunization Registry (CAIR) be removed? 

All vaccine reporting to CAIR, including COVID-19 vaccine, will continue to be required. More information regarding reporting deadlines is forthcoming.  

25. If a provider is NOT participating in BAP or VFC, do they need to maintain a myCAvax profile as a COVID-19 vaccine provider?  

No. If a provider will not be part of BAP, VFC or SGF, they will not need to maintain their myCAvax access once the current program ends. Non-BAP providers will have their myCAvax account inactivated. They will maintain access to My Turn.  

26. Do new clinics still need to apply to be a COVID-19 vaccine provider if they are not participating in BAP/VFC?  

No. New clinics do not need to enroll sites that will be getting vaccine from the commercial market.  

27. What will the public pay for COVID-19 vaccine after commercialization? 

Most people will not have any out-of-pocket expenses for COVID-19 vaccines. See COVID-19 Vaccine Access & Ordering infographic. 

• For those with private insurance plans, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) routinely recommended vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, will be fully covered without a co-pay when receiving the vaccine in network, per the Affordable Care Act. There may be fees for out-of-network care.  
• For Medicare Part B beneficiaries, COVID-19 vaccinations are covered without cost sharing, and this will continue. 
• Medi-Cal (Medicaid) will continue to cover all COVID-19 vaccinations without a co-pay or cost sharing. 
• Bridge Access Program (BAP): Uninsured adults may be eligible for BAP and receive COVID-19 vaccines free of charge. See section titled “Bridge Access Program”.  

28. Can Providers charge patients any fees for the COVID-19 vaccine ordered through myCAvax? 

Providers may not charge any fees to patients for any publicly funded COVID-19 vaccine they receive. 

29. Where can I find more information about Medi-Cal reimbursement? 

For more information, please contact DHCS at contactus@dhcs.ca.gov or visit the DHCS COVID-19 Response Website for FAQs.  

30. How can Providers purchase COVID-19 vaccine products? 

• Moderna: Providers can order through McKesson, Cardinal, and AmeriSource Bergen distributors or directly with Moderna at www.modernadirect.com and 1-866-MODERNA / 1-866-663-3762. CDPH recommends pre-booking to help the manufacturer manage production and distribution, including of pre-filled syringes only available to commercial customers.   

Current Procedural Technology (CPT), National Drug Code (NDC), and CVX codes are available for the monovalent COVID-19 vaccines. Download the Fall 2023 COVID-19 Codes on this page or click here.  

32. What COVID-19 vaccine access programs will be available for Tribal communities post-commercialization?  

Indian Health Services (IHS) sites can enroll in the BAP to provide vaccine for underinsured and uninsured adults in their communities. 

33. Will pharmacies receive doses of COVID-19 vaccine for uninsured patients? 

The retail pharmacy component of the BAP will provide COVID-19 vaccines at no cost to uninsured adults and adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs. CDC has contracts with CVS, Walgreens, and eTrueNorth to supply vaccine doses to areas of lower access or vaccination coverage. eTrueNorth will assist independent or other non-Walgreens and non-CVS pharmacies with participation in this program.  Providers should complete this interest form for general inquiries or to indicate interest in the Bridge Access Program: eTrueNorth/Connect  

34. When will the federal BAP contracts for pharmacies be completed?  

CDC has contracts with CVS, Walgreens, and eTrueNorth in place now.  

35. How will pharmacies be reimbursed for commercialized COVID-19 vaccine? 

According to The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Factsheet on the Bridge Access Program, “The Program will provide a per-dose payment to pharmacies in order to facilitate the administration of any COVID-19 vaccines and treatments at pharmacies that will be made available, relying on vaccine manufacturers’ public and private commitments to provide COVID-19 vaccines at no cost for uninsured people.”  

Pharmacies will also be eligible for one-time base payments for each site targeting areas with low rates of access and vaccinations.