COVID-19 still sends more older adults to the hospital each year than most other vaccine-preventable respiratory illnesses, and Medicare has covered the vaccine at no cost since it first became available in 2020. That $0 benefit continues into 2026 even though federal vaccine policy has been unusually unsettled over the past year.
The rules below break down exactly what Medicare Part B pays for, what Medicare Advantage plans must match or add, how the 2025 ACIP recommendation change and the March 2026 court order affect your coverage, what a COVID vaccine costs without insurance in 2026, and where to get vaccinated with no bill afterward. For related preventive benefits, see does Medicare cover the flu shot and does Medicare cover the shingles vaccine.
Coverage Breakdown
| Plan Type | COVID Vaccine Coverage | Your Cost (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Medicare (Part B) | Covered | $0, no deductible or coinsurance | Covers the 2025-2026 formula (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Novavax) for anyone enrolled in Part B, with no seasonal dose cap like the flu shot has |
| Medicare Advantage (Part C) | Covered (federal minimum) | $0 in-network; many plans add pharmacy pre-approval or in-home visits | Must match or exceed Original Medicare; confirm in-network pharmacy or clinic before your visit |
| Medigap (Medicare Supplement) | No separate benefit needed | $0 (already paid in full by Part B) | Medigap plans do not add coverage because Part B already pays the full allowed amount with zero cost-sharing |
| ACA Marketplace / Employer Plan (non-Medicare) | Covered as an essential health benefit | $0 at an in-network provider | Required under ACA-compliant plans nationwide through 2026; useful comparison for spouses or family members not yet on Medicare |
Medicare Part B waives its deductible and 20% coinsurance for COVID-19, flu, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B (high-risk) vaccines under a statutory preventive-services exception. A March 2026 federal court order kept the broader 2025 ACIP COVID vaccine recommendation from narrowing, so CMS's $0 payment policy for the 2025-2026 formula vaccine remains unchanged as of this update.
Source: Medicare.gov COVID-19 Vaccine Coverage, CMS Medicare COVID-19 Vaccine Shot Payment, KFF Medicare Preventive Services Explainer 2026
Direct Answer: Does Medicare Cover the COVID Vaccine?
Yes. Medicare Part B covers the COVID-19 vaccine at $0 cost, with no deductible or coinsurance, for anyone enrolled in Medicare regardless of age or health status. This includes the updated 2025-2026 formula from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Novavax. Medicare Advantage plans must match this $0 benefit. A March 2026 federal court order kept ACIP's broad COVID vaccine recommendation in place, so Medicare's coverage rule has not narrowed.
What Original Medicare Covers for the COVID-19 Vaccine
Medicare Part B pays the full allowed amount for the COVID-19 vaccine when a provider accepts Medicare assignment, waiving the standard $283 Part B deductible and the usual 20% coinsurance that applies to most outpatient services in 2026. This $0 rule covers the current 2025-2026 formula vaccines: Moderna's Spikevax and mNexspike, Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty, and Novavax's protein-based option. Medicare does not limit beneficiaries to one COVID shot per year the way it caps the flu shot at one per flu season; instead, CDC guidance on timing determines how often a dose is medically appropriate, and Medicare pays for each dose consistent with that guidance.
CMS separately reimburses the administering provider a flat fee for giving the shot, so beneficiaries are never billed a copay for the vaccine itself or its administration when the provider accepts assignment. Medigap plans have nothing to add here because Part B already pays the vaccine in full; a Medigap policy's usual role of covering the 20% coinsurance Original Medicare leaves behind simply does not apply to a $0 preventive vaccine. Original Medicare covers the shot at any Medicare-enrolled provider, including doctor's offices, hospital outpatient departments, and retail pharmacies that bill Part B directly.
What Medicare Advantage May Add for the COVID Vaccine (2026)
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are required by federal law to cover the same $0 COVID-19 vaccine benefit as Original Medicare at an in-network, Medicare-assignment-accepting provider, with no deductible and no coinsurance. Most 2026 Medicare Advantage plans extend this by pre-approving the vaccine at national pharmacy chains such as CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart, and many add reminder outreach, transportation to a vaccination site, or in-home nurse visits for homebound members through Special Needs Plans and Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans.
Confirm your plan's pharmacy network before scheduling, because an out-of-network visit can generate a bill even though federal law prohibits a Medicare Advantage plan from charging more than Original Medicare for this preventive benefit. Your 2026 Evidence of Coverage lists in-network vaccination sites, and the member services number on your plan card can confirm coverage before your appointment.
The 2025-2026 ACIP Recommendation Change and What It Means for Medicare
HHS revised the official COVID-19 vaccination recommendation in 2025, moving adults under 65 from a blanket recommendation to shared clinical decision-making, meaning the vaccine is offered case by case rather than urged for everyone. On March 16, 2026, a federal court in Massachusetts stayed those 2025 changes, along with the newly appointed ACIP membership, and ordered that insurance and CMS coverage continue matching the vaccines covered as of January 2025 while the underlying case proceeds through the courts.
Medicare.gov's COVID-19 vaccine coverage page reflects that outcome: Medicare Part B pays $0 for the 2025-2026 formula vaccine for anyone enrolled in Medicare, without regard to the disputed shared decision-making language. This area of vaccine policy remains in active litigation, so the underlying ACIP recommendation category could shift again before the next update to this page. Beneficiaries who want the most current guidance should check medicare.gov/coverage/covid-19-vaccine directly or ask their provider, since Medicare's $0 payment policy is tied to CMS payment rules rather than to the day-to-day status of the court case.