The HHS has officially launched its Bridge Access Program to support access to free COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured Americans, according to a Sept. 14 news release.
The agency detailed its plans for the program back in April. The news came about one month prior to the official termination of the public health emergency declaration, which upon expiring, led to the commercialization of COVID-19 vaccines and without a plan in place, would have upended access to them for the uninsured.
The Bridge Access Program will provide Americans with "continued free coverage for the estimated 25-30 million adults who would have otherwise lost access to affordable COVID-19 vaccines now that the distribution of vaccines has transitioned to the commercial market," according to the release.
The program will come to an end in December 2024, but other plans are in place for a longer-term solution to "cover all recommended vaccinations at no cost for uninsured adults," known as the Vaccines for Adults program. Before the long-term solution is in place, though, it would need to be enacted into law.