Medicare unveils influenza vaccine payment allowances for 2020-2021 flu season

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published the Medicare payment allowances for influenza vaccines, effective Aug. 1. The allowances range from about $10 to about $60.

A new Medicare Learning Network Matters article (MM11882) on Influenza Vaccine Payment Allowances - Annual Update for 2020-2021 Season has more information, including:

• Payment allowances for codes that correspond to products that have not yet been approved will be provided once the products are approved and CMS receives pricing information.
• Annual Medicare Part B deductible and coinsurance amounts do not apply.
• All physicians, non-physician practitioners, and suppliers who administer the influenza vaccination must take assignment on the claim for the vaccine.

If you have questions, your Medicare administrative contractor (MAC) may have more information. You can find their website at http://go.cms.gov/MAC-website-list.

— Kent Moore, Senior Strategist for Physician Payment at the American Academy of Family Physicians