In early September, Door County Public Health, which operates as part of the Door County Health and Human Services Department, announced seasonal vaccination clinics will begin Oct. 3 on Washington Island and continue at various locations through November.
Public Health Nurse Stormy Gale presented information and changes related to vaccination clinics to HHS and ADRC board members at their oversight committees’ joint meeting on Sept. 16.
Individuals with Medicare Advantage plans and county employees who do not carry county health insurance will no longer be provided free flu and Covid vaccines at Public Health clinics this year, according to Gale.
“We anticipate some resistance from the public on this,” she said, referring to the changes.
Public Health serves as a gap-filler when it comes to vaccines, explained Shauna Blackledge, public health strategist for Door County, to cover people who cannot get vaccinated through private health insurance.
When the Biden administration declared the Covid public health emergency over last May, public health departments across the country stopped being the free vaccinators for the emergency, according to Blackledge.
This led to confusion and some pushback at vaccination clinics, she said, when what had been provided free of charge was now being assigned a fee.
“We would love to have free vaccines all the time,” Blackledge said. “But now it is back to normal for us to provide (free) vaccines to uninsured and underinsured people.”
In this case, the term “underinsured” refers to individuals whose health plans do not cover vaccinations, according to Blackledge. Catastrophic health insurance is one example. These are plans that primarily cover emergencies, accidents and sudden illnesses, and have low monthly premiums and high deductibles.
People with private health insurance, which almost always cover vaccinations that are administered at pharmacies or from private health care providers, do not qualify for no-cost vaccines from Public Health, Blackledge said. Those individuals will be assessed a fee if they receive their vaccines from Public Health-sponsored clinics, and issued a receipt should they want to try to get reimbursement from their private insurance.
One change that may affect many of this season’s vaccine recipients is that individuals enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans will not receive free vaccinations from Public Health.
Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Medicare Part C, cover everything included in original Medicare plans, plus some prescription, visual and dental coverage. According to a 2022 report by Consumer Reports, the popularity of Medicare Advantage plans has risen since 2016.
Advantage plans are designed to cover vaccines through a pharmacy or health care provider, Blackledge explained. In order for Public Health to have a contract with an Advantage insurance provider, the insurance companies require more regular billing and larger claims than a small public health department can provide with annual or biannual seasonal vaccinations, explained Katie VanLaanen, a Door County Public Health nurse.
Public Health does provide flu and Covid vaccination clinics for 4K – 12th graders at county public schools. For younger children, the flu vaccine is free for children ages six months to 18 years old who are on BadgerCare, have no insurance or insurance that does not cover vaccines, or are Native American. Covid vaccines for children are free to children six months to 18 years old with the same insurance qualifications.
If children aged 12 to 18 years do not meet insurance qualifications, the Covid vaccine will cost a fee, according to information provided on the HHS immunization clinic website.
If someone is 19 years old or older, and uninsured or underinsured, Blackledge said, they must call Public Health before scheduling their vaccination appointment during one of the clinics offered in order to confirm their qualification for no-cost vaccines.
Scheduling links and clinic dates and locations can be found online at www.co.door.wi.gov/clinics or by calling Door County Public Health at 920-746-2234.