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<p class="MsoNormal">Maryland Insurance Commissioner Kathleen A. Birrane reminds all Marylanders that they cannot be billed for COVID-19 vaccinations regardless of which vaccine they receive.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While the Maryland Insurance Administration has not seen evidence of attempts by providers to bill individuals for vaccine administration in Maryland, we are aware that in other states individuals have been charged for the administration
of the more recently approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As set forth in the Commissioner's December 15th Consumer Advisory, health insurance issuers must cover the administration of vaccines authorized by the FDA for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 without charge regardless of which
vaccine you receive. The cost protections ordered by the Hogan Administration are broader than those afforded under the federal CARES Act, because they apply to all health plans that include vaccination coverage that are issued by health insurers in Maryland,
not only the non-grandfathered ACA plans referenced under federal law.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Doses of the vaccine that are purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be provided at no cost. Vaccination providers are eligible to be reimbursed from an insurer or from the federal government when they administer the vaccine, but may
not charge individuals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stated:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All organizations and providers participating in the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program:<o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">must administer COVID-19 vaccine at no out-of-pocket cost to the recipient;<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">may not deny anyone vaccination based on the vaccine recipient’s coverage status or network status;<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">may not charge an office visit or other fee if COVID-19 vaccination is the sole medical service provided;<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">may not require additional medical services to receive COVID-19 vaccination;<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">may seek appropriate reimbursement from a program or plan that covers COVID-19 Vaccine administration fees for the vaccine recipient, such as:<br>
- vaccine recipient’s private insurance company<br>
- Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement<br>
- HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program for non-insured vaccine recipients<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">may not seek any reimbursement, including through balance billing, from the vaccine recipient.<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><o:p> </o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>If anyone attempts to charge you for a vaccination, please notify us immediately at 800-492-6116 or file a complaint online at:</i></b> <a href="https://enterprise.insurance.maryland.gov/consumer/ConsumerPortalWelcomePage.aspx">https://enterprise.insurance.maryland.gov/consumer/ConsumerPortalWelcomePage.aspx</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For more information, visit the Maryland Insurance Administration’s COVID-19 Resource Center at <a href="https://insurance.maryland.gov/COVID-19/Pages/default.aspx">https://insurance.maryland.gov/COVID-19/Pages/default.aspx</a>. Additional
information about the Federal CARES Act can be found at <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/cares">https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/cares</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Harlow Solid Italic"">Jessica<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif">Jessica E. Barnes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif">Town Clerk<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif">Director of Administrative Services<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif">Town of Riverdale Park<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif">5008 Queensbury Road<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif">Riverdale Park, MD 20737<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif"><a href="http://www.riverdaleparkmd.gov/"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.riverdaleparkmd.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif">301-927-6381 x505<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RiverdaleParkMD/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#0563C1;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="32" height="32" style="width:.3333in;height:.3333in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D7247D.ECD9AF00"></span></a><a href="https://twitter.com/Riverdale_Park_"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#0563C1;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="32" height="32" style="width:.3333in;height:.3333in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.png@01D7247D.ECD9AF00"></span></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/riverdaleparkmd_gov/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#0563C1;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="32" height="32" style="width:.3333in;height:.3333in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image003.png@01D7247D.ECD9AF00"></span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">A Welcoming Community, Come Grow with Us!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">DISCLAIMER: All Town of Riverdale Park email recipients are cautioned that messages sent and received via the Town's email system may be considered public record pursuant to the Maryland Public
Information Act, and may be subject to inspection and copying by the public.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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