Dr. Blackstock: Federal Gov’t No Longer Covering the Cost of Covid Boosters Will Have a Negative Impact on Health Equity

MENENDEZ You and I ░░░░░░░░ circle back to this ░░░░░░░░ about equity and access ░░░░░░░░ federal government no longer ░░░░░░░░ the cost of Covid ░░░░░░░░ I wonder If you ░░░░░░░░ insurance if you don ░░░░░░░░ how much this new ░░░░░░░░ is expected to cost ░░░░░░░░ and what it means ░░░░░░░░ for the efficacy of ░░░░░░░░ booster if there are ░░░░░░░░ who may not be ░░░░░░░░ to access it BLACKSTOCK ░░░░░░░░ So when the public ░░░░░░░░ emergency ended a few ░░░░░░░░ ago you know what ░░░░░░░░ was that the vaccines ░░░░░░░░ no longer at no ░░░░░░░░ to the public And ░░░░░░░░ people who have health ░░░░░░░░ under the ACA if ░░░░░░░░ have private health insurance ░░░░░░░░ are going to be ░░░░░░░░ If you have public ░░░░░░░░ insurance you are going ░░░░░░░░ be covered But if ░░░░░░░░ are uninsured you may ░░░░░░░░ be covered So we ░░░░░░░░ to figure out exactly ░░░░░░░░ the costs are going ░░░░░░░░ be We don t ░░░░░░░░ yet Fortunately most local ░░░░░░░░ departments of public health ░░░░░░░░ will be able to ░░░░░░░░ out that vaccine and ░░░░░░░░ booster at no cost ░░░░░░░░ it remains to be ░░░░░░░░ what that cost will ░░░░░░░░ And yes in terms ░░░░░░░░ equity it s like ░░░░░░░░ know have we learned ░░░░░░░░ Right Have we learned ░░░░░░░░ from this pandemic We ░░░░░░░░ to make sure the ░░░░░░░░ vulnerable the most marginalized ░░░░░░░░ access to the basics ░░░░░░░░ the vaccine is one ░░░░░░░░ those things If everyone ░░░░░░░░ not boosted who needs ░░░░░░░░ be boosted we are ░░░░░░░░ to see an uptick ░░░░░░░░ cases and hospitalizations We ░░░░░░░░ this is going to ░░░░░░░░