Some COVID minimizers keep saying we can ignore COVID because we have vaccines. Not only is that untrue because layers of protections are most effective, but due to the end of the public health emergency, and greed of pharma companies, many people can't even afford the vaccines.
There's a legitimate concern expressed by you, but that story doesn't add up right.
COVID vaccines are still have no out of pocket cost. That program has not yet expired. That price point is the hypothetical cited in news articles about what pharma might set prices at when the federal vaccine program ends.
Adding to the off vibe, $68 is a common list price for the flu vaccine. With a small wrinkle: That's the price for over 65 patients, which is more expensive.
@thoughtpunks Don't underestimate the fractured, opaque, and chaotic nature of American healthcare. My wife and I had to pay 60-some dollars for flu vaccines out of pocket a few months ago. The pharmacy claimed that insurance refused to cover them. That seemed odd, but we had a reason that we needed them ASAP and had had problems finding them out of season, so we just paid the money. A month or two later we got paperwork from the insurance showing the pharmacy did bill the insurance, and the insurance *also* paid. My point: don't confuse how it's supposed to work with what people actually experience in practice. @luckytran
That's a fair general point. Won't argue insurers, providers, et al take advantage of the confusing and opaque nature of things.
Though the specific numbers offered [a hypothetical, unrealized vaccine price point floated for after the still active federal program expires and a specific list price Google will commonly offer] seem a bit on the nose.
@thoughtpunks Oh, and just to add, we are *not* over 65. @luckytran