COVID-19 Provider Vaccine Information Hub

New and Noteworthy - COVID-19 Vaccination

Information about the COVID-19 vaccination program is changing frequently. Please check this site often and be sure to refresh your browser to view updates.

CDC recommends single booster dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 years at least 5 months after completion of a primary series (5-19-22). In addition, the CDC strengthened its recommendation that those 12 and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 and older "should receive" (instead of "may receive") a second booster dose at least 4 months after their first booster. Press release | ACIP meeting presentations
FDA Limits Use of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (5-5-22) Due to the risk of risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), the FDA has limited the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine EUA to individuals age 18+ for whom other authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines are not accessible or clinically appropriate, or who elect to receive the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine because they would otherwise not receive a COVID-19 vaccine. News release | Revised fact sheets for: Providers and Recipients and Caregivers
Billing and reimbursement webinar. The slides and recordings are now available from this webinar hosted by the California Department of Public Health and California Medical Association on April 29. Slides and recording.

Becoming a COVID-19 Vaccination Provider

DPH greatly appreciates the partnership of health care providers and organizations to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to their patient population and their surrounding community members.

It is now easier to enroll and provide COVID-19 vaccinations –

Ultralow freezers are not required
Vaccine can be ordered in small quantities
Providers never need to miss a vaccination opportunity because of fear of vaccine wastage – some vaccine wastage is to be expected
Grants are available for providers enrolled in the Vaccines for Children program
Extensive support is available for start-up and beyond

View the flyer to learn more.

Detailed information regarding enrollment processes for joining the California COVID-19 Vaccination Program can be found at: https://eziz.org/covid/enrollment/. The DPH Vaccination Partner Checklist has information and resources for providers offering COVID-19 vaccine.

Billing for Vaccinations Update

Providers cannot charge any out-of-pocket cost for COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine must be made available at no cost to all individuals to ensure equitable access. Denying anyone vaccination or reducing appointments based on the person’s insurance status, charging for an office visit or other fee (if COVID-19 vaccination is the sole medical service provided), requiring additional medical services to receive COVID-19 vaccination, or seeking any additional reimbursement, including through balance billing from the vaccine recipient, is prohibited.

The loss of the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program funding may prove a challenge to serving your neediest community members. Public Health is working hard to advocate with the federal and state government on your behalf. In the meantime, here are some considerations and resources to assist providers:

Providers may be able to bill Medicare, Medi-Cal or private insurance to obtain reimbursement for administering vaccines, and through other available mechanisms for the uninsured, where appropriate
California’s Department of Health Care Services will accept claims for individuals enrolled in the COVID-19 Uninsured Group Program. Individuals must apply for the COVID-19 Uninsured Group Program through a Medi-Cal Qualified Provider in the following programs: Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women, Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program, Hospital Presumptive Eligibility, and Child Health and Disability Prevention. Providers must submit applications via the COVID-19 Uninsured Group Application Portal.
Providers may refer any patient to a walk-in community vaccination site – they can visit the How to Get a Vaccine webpage or call the DPH Call Center at 833-540-0473 which is open 7 days a week from 8:00am-8:30pm for appointment or referral assistance
Providers may wish to hold onto records for possible future claim submission should the HRSA Uninsured Program receive funding and begin accepting claims, or another source of funding is established.
Billing and reimbursement webinar (4-29-22) from the California Department of Public Health and California Medical Association Slides and recording.

Upcoming webinars and trainings

CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Series (with CE) brief (15-20 minute) interactive modules that offer a real-world perspective on issues such as clinical and vaccine safety information, guidance for on-site clinic vaccination, and having conversations with vaccine recipients. Webinars
CDC Vaccine Training Modules (with CE) – new Janssen module. Modules include a general overview of immunization practices, and Janssen, Pfizer and Moderna vaccine storage, handling, preparation, administration, and documentation. Modules

Standing webinars

CDC COCA Webinars: Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Past COVID-19 topics include underlying medical conditions and severe COVID-19, vaccine safety and efficacy, and treating long COVID. Recorded webinars | Subscribe.
CDC/IDSA COVID-19 Clinician Calls: Alternate Saturdays 12-1pm PST. Past webinars include post-COVID conditions, variants, vaccination, and COVID-19 outcomes in at-risk groups. Recorded webinars | Subscribe.
AMA COVID-19 webinar series - What Physicians Need to Know: Live and archived webinars on COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics Webinars

Resources for Communicating with Parents

LAC DPH Resources

Sample Letter Templates

For practices that provide COVID-19 vaccines

COVID-19 vaccine resources for providers

COVID-19 Vaccines: Provider Summary Table - summarizes vaccine eligibility based on the primary series and patient age and/or risk factors

CDC Resources

Information & Resources for Patients

DPH Resources

General Vaccine Information website hosts frequently asked questions, fact sheets, and many other vaccine-related resources for patients and the public in multiple languages.
- Vaccine Schedules for Patients
- Vaccine Facts: General | Pregnancy and Breastfeeding | Fertility and Periods
- What Parents Need to Know
- What Teens Need to Know

CDPH Resources

Vaccine Benefits and Risks Fact Sheets one-page summaries of the FDA EUA fact sheets
Minor Consent for Pfizer vaccine guidance for providers and the public and template consent form

CDC Resources - Answering patients’ questions about COVID-19 vaccine:

Educating Vaccine Recipients webpage: This webpage and its subpages provide information about and resources for educating your patients about COVID-19 vaccines.
Patient FAQs

FDA Resources

Vaccine EUA fact sheets for recipients and caregivers Pfizer Moderna Janssen

Contact us about Vaccines

Vaccine Administration Provider Line -Questions about vaccine distribution, storage and handling, and guidance on registering to receive the vaccine through the CDPH enrollment website.

Monday through Friday, 8:00am- 5:00pm call 833-505-0761 or email COVIDVaccineReq@ph.lacounty.gov.

Vaccine Clinical Provider Line –Clinical questions about COVID-19 vaccines including but not limited to contraindications, precautions, side effects, post vaccination assessment

Monday through Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm, call 213-240-7941. For time-sensitive questions after hours, call 213-974-1234 and ask for the on-call clinician

CDC/CISAvax (Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Project) - Consults about COVID-19 vaccine safety. Healthcare providers can request a consultation from CISA COVIDvax for a complex COVID-19 vaccine safety question that is (1) about an individual patient residing in the United States or vaccine safety issue and (2) not readily addressed by CDC or Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) guidelines. CISA has vaccine safety subject matter experts in multiple specialties (e.g. ID, allergy/immunology, neurology, OB/GYN, pediatrics, geriatrics)

Contact CDC_INFO: 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) or online
In case of an emergent clinical COVID-19 vaccine safety inquiry, healthcare providers can call the CDC Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Watch Desk at (770)-488-7100. The EOC Watch Desk will route emergency inquiries to the CISA COVIDvax on-call staff.

Medical professionals interested in supporting the COVID-19 response:

Paid positions - contact the California COVID Health Corps
Volunteer opportunities (including Medical Disaster Service Workers) - contact the City of Los Angeles - not currently accepting volunteers