The COVID-19 vaccine is free, but Cedar Valley medical providers might still ask for health insurance cards

Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (IA)

Feb. 17—WATERLOO — Residents won't have to pay out of pocket for the COVID-19 vaccine, but area health care providers often ask people for their health insurance.

Three of four major health care systems — including MercyOne, UnityPoint and Waverly Health Center — said they ask people to provide their private insurance or Medicare or Medicaid coverage. The systems said they charge insurance agencies for administration fees, which cover the cost of staff doing vaccinations.

But people without health insurance can still get the vaccine for free, the providers said. They will not get billed administration fees.

Health care providers can get reimbursed for administering the vaccine to uninsured people through the Health Resources and Services Administration's Provider Relief Fund, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"No one can be denied a vaccine if they are unable to pay the vaccine administration fee," the CDC website says.

Heidi Solheim, chief operating officer at Waverly Health Center, said available insurance information must be documented to meet requirements by the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Department of Health and Human Services.

UnityPoint requires people to provide their driver's licenses or other form of photo ID, said spokesperson Carson Tigges. He said the requirement "ensures the patient's medical record and other databases are updated and accurate."

Adam Amdor, spokesperson for MercyOne, said the system similarly requires photo ID. He said it also asks people to verify their age, whether two weeks passed since they received a flu vaccine and whether two weeks passed since a close exposure to COVID-19. People are also asked if they had any household contacts with COVID-19 or attended any unmasked events.

Residents who had COVID-19 are asked whether it has been at least 90 days since they got IV infusion treatment for the virus, Amdor said.

Peoples Community Health Clinic, a federally qualified health center, said it does not require any documentation for people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Spokesperson Augusta Sires said the provider has people fill out brief health history and consent forms before getting vaccinated.

MercyOne, UnityPoint, Waverly Health Center and Peoples Community Health Clinic are vaccinating both patients and non-patients, spokespeople said.

MercyOne is giving COVID-19 vaccines to patients of independent medical providers and people who are not affiliated with health care providers, Amdor said. UnityPoint is similarly giving vaccines to patients of private and independent medical centers and other people eligible to get vaccinated, Tigges said.

Waverly Health Center will work to vaccinate eligible residents who express interest on an online form, Solheim said. This includes both patients and non-patients. People can also contact the center by phone at (319) 352-4120.

"We are working very closely with the other health care providers and our county health department to cover as many eligible individuals as possible," Solheim said.

People without health care providers can call the Black Hawk County Health Department at (319) 292-2360 to schedule vaccine appointments.

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