Accessing the COVID-19 Vaccine

Living with multiple sclerosis comes with a lot of uncertainty — but one thing you should not feel uncertain about is how to access the COVID-19 vaccine. Below is a quick guide to accessing the COVID-19 vaccine — covering everything from costs to finding a vaccination site.

Vaccine Eligibility
As of now, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have opened vaccine eligibility for all adults (18+). The CDC has authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine for adolescents 5 and older.

Find a Vaccination Site
There are two simple ways to find a vaccination site near you:

• Visit VaccineFinder
  Recommended by the CDC, enter your zip code to find a vaccination site near you. Once you have found an available site, you will need to schedule an appointment directly through the vaccine site/provider.
• Visit your local state health department website
  We have linked to all COVID-19 resource pages for each state and the District of Columbia below. Pages include information on vaccine eligibility and locating vaccination sites, including information on mass vaccination sites if your state offers them.

Vaccine Costs
Regardless of your immigration status or health insurance coverage, COVID-19 vaccination providers cannot charge you for the vaccine or any service/fee related to receiving the vaccine. Vaccine providers cannot:

• Refuse to give you the vaccine, even if you are out-of-network, uninsured or underinsured
• Charge you for any copays, coinsurance or administration/office visit fees if the only service you received was a COVID-19 vaccination
• Require you to get additional services in order to get the vaccine

If you are insured, COVID-19 vaccination providers can get reimbursement from your plan or program (e.g., Medicare, private health insurance), but they cannot charge you the balance.

Society Resources
Our knowledgeable MS Navigators can:

• Connect you to information on vaccination sites in your state
• Assist with costs of transportation to a COVID-19 vaccination or testing site for those who qualify
• Connect you to the latest vaccine guidance for people living with MS, as well as information on timing MS medications with COVID-19 vaccines

If you are covered under Medicare or Medicaid, MS Navigators recommend reaching out to your plans for additional resources, such as transportation assistance.

If you are experiencing unemployment, need assistance navigating insurance, foreclosures or other financial impacts due to the pandemic, visit the Society’s Coronavirus Resources page or contact our MS Navigators at 1-800-344-4867, via email at contactusnmss@nmss.org or chat with them live through the Society website.

View Your State’s Coronavirus Resources
For specific COVID-19 updates in your state or to find a vaccination site, visit your state’s health department website.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi

Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Johnson & Johnson vs. mRNA Vaccines

Any of the three vaccines approved or authorized for your age are safe for people living with MS. However, the CDC now recommends the mRNA vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. People with MS should select the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine when getting vaccinated.

Additional Resources
Visit the Society’s Coronavirus Resource page for vaccine recommendations and support. You can also view the CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccination FAQs page.