New CDC Program Offers Free COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments Beginning in Fall 2023

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is launching its “Bridge Access Program” as an initiative to provide access to free COVID-19 vaccines and treatment for millions of adults that are uninsured or underinsured. The program, which launches this fall and will only be available for a limited time, will ensure millions of adults with inadequate medical coverage have access to COVID-19 vaccines at no cost.

“Protecting people from COVID-19 remains a top priority for CDC,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said. “CDC is partnering with state and local public health agencies, health centers, and pharmacies to ensure that all adults nationwide maintain access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines. Ultimately, we know that vaccines save money and lives. Vaccination is especially important as we head into fall and winter, a time when COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases are likely to circulate.” 

In preparation for the start of the program, a specialized team within CDC’s Immunization Services Division has been established. According to the CDC, they will “purchase COVID-19 vaccines and allocate them, along with the funding needed to implement this new program, through CDC’s established network of state and local immunization programs.” The distributed vaccines will be distributed to “participating community-based providers, including local health departments and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-supported health centers.” To broaden access to the program and vaccines, CDC is also working closely with select national pharmacy chains, as well as vaccine manufacturers, to enable uninsured adults to receive free COVID-19 vaccines at participating retail pharmacy locations. 

Through agreements with participating pharmacy chains, the Bridge Access Program will reimburse pharmacies for the administration fees. CDC has also been working closely with manufacturers to ensure that there is an adequate supply of vaccines for this program. 

The “Bridge Access Program” is scheduled to end in December 2024. A longer-term option, called the Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program, has been proposed but not enacted into law as of yet. If passed, the VFA program would create “a permanent initiative that would cover all recommended vaccinations at no cost for uninsured adults.”