AUSTIN, Texas — The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a COVID-19 vaccine for everyone six months or older. Currently, the U.S. government pays for the vaccines.
A viewer heard one drug manufacturer may raise the price more than $100.
THE QUESTION
Is it true that Moderna will be raising the price of the COVID-19 vaccine?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
The exact price is not yet determined. Moderna is likely to raise its price to market value, which could be as much as $130.
WHAT WE FOUND
The Department of Defense website shows current Moderna COVID-19 vaccines cost taxpayers $26.76.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) wrote in an issue brief that Moderna has suggested a commercial price between $82 and $100 per dose.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projected, “an average per dose vaccine cost of $64 and vaccine administration cost of $40 for CY (calendar year) 2023.”
In an investor presentation, Moderna Chief Commercial Officer Arpa Garay confirmed there will likely be a change in price.
“As we head into more of the commercial markets, we will be looking at more value-based pricing that's more appropriate for the commercial market,” Garay said.
Pfizer has a similar type of COVID-19 vaccine using messenger-RNA (mRNA). During its third-quarter 2022 earnings call, Pfizer leaders said they will likely set their COVID-19 vaccine between $110 to $130.
“While most consumers with public and private insurance will be protected from having to pay directly for vaccine costs, those who are uninsured and underinsured may face cost barriers when the federally purchased vaccine doses are depleted. In addition, as private payers take on more of the cost of vaccinations and boosters, this could have a small upward effect on health insurance premiums,” KFF wrote.
KFF wrote that vaccine prices are hard to predict.
“Still, insurers and public programs will not have much leverage since they are generally required to cover all ACIP-recommended COVID vaccines with no patient out-of-pocket costs,” KFF wrote.