Heads up: CVS doesn’t give a fuck. Just tick the box saying you are at risk and then go get a same day appointment if you want. They don’t ask any additional details so there is no risk of getting it in your file that you are obese or depressed or whatever else insurance companies will penalize you for (I think people were generally suggesting that you claim anxiety if you must since that is the least serious and most transient?).
I’ve also been seeing rumor that there may be an additional meeting to lock that down in a few weeks, but I haven’t managed to find details beyond “everybody is talking about it”. So… good luck.
It varies by state. Here in CA, I ticked the box and CVS didn’t ask me for an ID or anything, just gave me the shots. Hopefully it will remain that easy here in the years to come.
For anyone else facing this issue that can’t afford it, apparently part of the new FDA guidelines are that people need to get it at a doctor’s office rather than a pharmacy (so our insurance advised us). So if your copay is cheaper it’s probably worth making an appointment for.
If you can’t afford the copay try local (or less local) libraries, ours does limited free vaccines occasionally.
United? A year or two back when I still had UHC they actively refused to work with CVS and I had to go to Walgreens instead. No idea if Walgreens cares or not about guidelines
Kaiser. They are generally decent, but don’t cover out of network vaccines and they aren’t stocking the covid vaccine currently (statement that it has been paused on their website).
I can only get it through them with an office visit but if I select ‘covid vaccine’ as the reason for the visit, I get a banner message stating ‘2025/2026 COVID Vaccine Formulation is being paused and not yet available.’ and I am unable to continue.
Based on the current regulatory environment, CVS Pharmacy is offering FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccinations in the following states - AK, AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, ND, NH, NJ, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, WA, WI, WY. States may change at any time.
In addition, we are also offering the updated COVID-19 vaccines to patients, depending on their age, if they present an authorized prescriber’s prescription in the following states – AZ, CO, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, ME, NC, NY, PA, UT, VA, WV,"
In Canada when the flu vax was costly, we could get it for free by claiming our parents or grandparents are at risk and that we wanted to visit them since they aren’t good with video calls.
Thus, even if we were hale and healthy, it wasn’t a user-pay thing.
Maybe it’ll work for you?
(Yes, its all free now, but before that it wasn’t.)
Heads up: CVS doesn’t give a fuck. Just tick the box saying you are at risk and then go get a same day appointment if you want. They don’t ask any additional details so there is no risk of getting it in your file that you are obese or depressed or whatever else insurance companies will penalize you for (I think people were generally suggesting that you claim anxiety if you must since that is the least serious and most transient?).
I’ve also been seeing rumor that there may be an additional meeting to lock that down in a few weeks, but I haven’t managed to find details beyond “everybody is talking about it”. So… good luck.
It varies by state. Here in CA, I ticked the box and CVS didn’t ask me for an ID or anything, just gave me the shots. Hopefully it will remain that easy here in the years to come.
Two of the risk factors are being obese or physically inactive. That should cover most of the people.
I did get mine at CVS but my insurance wouldn’t bill through them so it cost me $200. It was either that or not get the shot at all so I ponied up.
For anyone else facing this issue that can’t afford it, apparently part of the new FDA guidelines are that people need to get it at a doctor’s office rather than a pharmacy (so our insurance advised us). So if your copay is cheaper it’s probably worth making an appointment for.
If you can’t afford the copay try local (or less local) libraries, ours does limited free vaccines occasionally.
United? A year or two back when I still had UHC they actively refused to work with CVS and I had to go to Walgreens instead. No idea if Walgreens cares or not about guidelines
Kaiser. They are generally decent, but don’t cover out of network vaccines and they aren’t stocking the covid vaccine currently (statement that it has been paused on their website).
Paused? I just got it a couple days ago, in stock. Asked if you are at risk and otherwise was the same and the process to get flu shot
I can only get it through them with an office visit but if I select ‘covid vaccine’ as the reason for the visit, I get a banner message stating ‘2025/2026 COVID Vaccine Formulation is being paused and not yet available.’ and I am unable to continue.
Ah looks like it depends on the state
https://www.wect.com/2025/09/04/cvs-pharmacy-walgreens-change-requirements-covid-19-vaccine/
Based on the current regulatory environment, CVS Pharmacy is offering FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccinations in the following states - AK, AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, ND, NH, NJ, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, WA, WI, WY. States may change at any time.
In addition, we are also offering the updated COVID-19 vaccines to patients, depending on their age, if they present an authorized prescriber’s prescription in the following states – AZ, CO, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, ME, NC, NY, PA, UT, VA, WV,"
In Canada when the flu vax was costly, we could get it for free by claiming our parents or grandparents are at risk and that we wanted to visit them since they aren’t good with video calls.
Thus, even if we were hale and healthy, it wasn’t a user-pay thing.
Maybe it’ll work for you?
(Yes, its all free now, but before that it wasn’t.)
British Columbian here, what part of Canada was that? Because it wasn’t this end…
Maybe Alberta, the Trump-loving Texas of the North?
When did we ever have to pay for vaccines? (Ontario here)
We have to pay for Shingrex. $300.
Manitoba here, also wondering.
Nobody in my family has paid out of pocket for a covid (or any other) vaccine.
Can confirm. Just got vaccinated at CVS two days ago. Not having worms in your brain definitely qualifies you to get a vaccine.