Bridge Access Program will Provide Free COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments to Uninsured and Underinsured Adults in Fall 2023

To help ensure that millions of uninsured and underinsured American adults continue to have access to no-cost COVID-19 vaccinations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is launching the Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 Vaccines this fall.

In the Fall of 2023, the U.S. Government COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Program will end. COVID-19 vaccines will still be free for most Americans through their health insurance plans. However, there are 25-30 million adults (ages 18-64) without insurance and additional adults whose insurance will not provide free COVID-19 vaccines after these products move onto the commercial market.

CDC’s Bridge Access Program will provide free COVID-19 vaccines for a limited time after these products move onto the commercial market in Fall 2023. Free vaccines through this temporary program will not be available after December 2024.

A proposed longer-term is the Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program, which would cover all recommended vaccinations at no cost for uninsured adults. This proposal has not yet been enacted into law. 

Efforts related to the Bridge Access Program launch are ongoing, and additional details will be shared in the coming weeks and months on CDC’s Bridge Access Program webpage.