BATON ROUGE – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana said it will cover COVID-19 booster shots at $0 out of pocket for eligible members of individual and employer health plans. Eligible members of Medicare and Medicaid plans or uninsured patients also can get a COVID-19 vaccine at no cost. This no-cost coverage is required by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
At this time, there is no booster recommendation for people who got the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine or for people who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines but do not have health conditions that affect their immunity.
Health officials are working to determine when or if other people will need booster vaccines. Visit the Louisiana Department of Health’s website, www.ldh.la.gov, to see the latest updates and information about the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. You can also see more information about the state’s booster vaccine recommendation, including frequently asked questions.
Who Should Get a COVID-19 Vaccine Booster?
Currently, federal and state health officials are only recommending the COVID-19 vaccine booster for people who have had two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and who:
- Are going through cancer treatment
- Had an organ transplant or stem cell transplant and are taking medicine to suppress their immune systems
- Have HIV or other immune-suppressing health conditions
- Take certain types of prescription drugs that could lower their immunity
Visit the CDC’s website for more information about who should get a booster vaccine. People who qualify should get their third-dose booster vaccines at least 28 days after their second dose. If you are eligible for a booster, you will need to fill out a self-attestation form and bring it with you to your vaccine appointment.
For information on what Blue Cross is doing in response to COVID-19, visit www.bcbsla.com/covid19.
