76.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeCommunityHealth & WellnessMedicare to Cover Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Dose for Immunocompromised People

Medicare to Cover Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Dose for Immunocompromised People

A vial of the Pfizer COVID vaccine (Photo by Larissa Aumand)

Lt. Gov. Tregenza A. Roach Esq., who also serves as the Virgin Islands Commissioner of Insurance, reminds Medicare beneficiaries of coverage provided by Medicare for Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approved COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 tests, COVID-19 antibody tests, and COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatments.  Medicare also covers an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose for Medicare immunocompromised patients.

In response to the FDA’s recent action that authorizes an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised individuals, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services assures Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for an additional dose that they can receive it with no cost sharing.

The Virgin Islands Department of Health reminds the public that the third dose must be administered at least 28 days after a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. For multi-dose vaccines, the same vaccine product should be used for additional doses. Vaccine types should not be mixed.

Beneficiaries should walk with their red, white and blue Medicare card and their vaccination card when going to a health care provider or pharmacy. If there is a form to complete that asks for the insurer’s group number, that field should be left blank.

For additional information regarding COVID-19 vaccine or testing coverage, Medicare beneficiaries may contact the Virgin Islands State Health Insurance Assistance Program (VI/SHIP) Medicare office at 774-2991, extension 4507 for the St. Thomas/St. John District or 773-6449, extension 3151 or 3152 for the St. Croix District. Beneficiaries may also call 1-800-633-4227 or visit www.medicare.gov for more information.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.