How Payers Are Involved in Boosting COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence

By Kelsey Waddill

March 31, 2021 - In order to combat misinformation around the coronavirus vaccines, payers have been taking an active role in promoting the vaccines and educating the public on their benefits to boost coronavirus vaccine confidence, according to a fact sheet from America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

“As COVID-19 vaccine supply expands and more registrations become available, health insurance providers have increasingly focused their COVID-19 actions on improving vaccine acceptance and access,” the fact sheet stated.

Coronavirus vaccine receptivity has shifted significantly over the past few months alone.

In September 2020, 49 percent of Americans said that they probably or definitely would not receive a coronavirus vaccine, according to a Pew Research Center survey.

By February 2021, that share had dropped to 30 percent, evenly split between the percent of respondents that reported that they probably would not get the vaccine and the percent that said they definitely would not.

Meanwhile, by February 2021, one in five respondents already had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Although coronavirus vaccine confidence has escalated over time, misinformation and other barriers remain.

According to the same Pew Research Center survey, the top three most common reasons not to receive the vaccine among the respondents who were unlikely to receive the vaccine were concern about the side effects, concern about the speed of the vaccine development processes, and the desire to know how well the vaccines work before receiving them.

With a wealth of data at their fingertips and multiple established channels for member engagement, payers are well-positioned to address coronavirus vaccine confidence in a variety of ways.

Collaborating with local government, businesses

Multiple payers are partnering with state and local government health departments as well as major companies in the area to help make communities aware of their eligibility for the vaccine and to combat misinformation.

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s “Vaccinate the Natural State” program is coordinating efforts between entities such as the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas as well as academic institutions and companies like Walmart.

The Vaccinate the Natural State program explains the benefits of the coronavirus vaccine through communication toolkits, video modules, and more. These resources can equip employers to promote vaccination within their organizations as the state reopens.

Blue Shield of California is working with the secretary of the Government Operations Agency, the state agency in charge of vaccine distribution, to speed up the vaccine distribution process.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is collaborating with its state government by answering the health department’s call for more volunteers with clinical skills and with administrative skills.

Capital District Physicians Health Plan (CDPHP) is leveraging an existing partnership with the local supermarket pharmacy Price Chopper/Market 32 to support vaccine distribution and education. CDPHP finds seniors and disabled individuals who have not yet been vaccinated and connects them to Price Chopper/Market 32 for a vaccine appointment.

Leveraging new, existing social determinants of health partnerships

In order to tackle social determinants of health, many payers already have forged partnerships with community-based organizations. Some payers are turning these partnerships into a tool to promote vaccination.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced a new program in collaboration with Feeding America.

The payer will connect with 200 food banks nationwide in order to help disseminate clinical information—in both English and Spanish—about the coronavirus vaccine. The resources will use data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and BCBSA clinical experts.

Additionally, BCBSA and Feeding America are developing web-based public health modules that will include information on the coronavirus vaccines.

Payers are also using a widespread solution for transportation social determinants of health barriers in order to target barriers to coronavirus vaccine access.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina are sponsoring transportation to coronavirus vaccination sites through rideshare and healthcare center partnerships.

Utilizing marketing capabilities

Due to continuous efforts to improve member engagement, payers have a broad scope of channels through which they can connect with members. However, some payers are going beyond these individual communication channels to broadcast a more public message.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (Blue Cross) has released a public service announcement in which Katherine Dallow, MD, vice president of clinical programs and strategy at Blue Cross, explains the benefits of the coronavirus vaccines. This material is available to governmental, educational, or public health entities for free, the payer has stated.

Centene has likewise made multiple public service announcement videos ranging from 15 seconds in length to a full minute. These videos specifically target communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by the virus and that are often resistant to receiving the coronavirus vaccine.

Launching incentives programs

Payers have found incentives programs useful for encouraging members to pursue preventive care and employers have successfully leveraged financial rewards in wellness programs. It should come as no surprise, then, that some payers have allotted financial incentives to members who receive the coronavirus vaccine.

CalOptima’s Vaccination Incentive Program offers two nonmonetary gift cards of $25 to members that receive both doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Members 16 years old and older are eligible and members 15 years old and younger will be eligible once a vaccine is approved for that age bracket.

Vaccinating the homebound

Some members may want to receive the coronavirus vaccine, but cannot leave their house to access coronavirus vaccination sites. Thus, payers are using their data to identify and serve homebound individuals and seniors who may not be able to travel to a coronavirus vaccination site.

Commonwealth Care Alliance was the first integrated health plan in the state of Massachusetts to vaccinate homebound members. Between mid-February and late March, the payer vaccinated nearly 500 members at home.

Similarly, Empire BlueCross BlueShield sent officials in New York City the names of 650 homebound members who would not be able to access coronavirus vaccination sites. The payer also has been working on securing vaccination appointments for individuals in long-term care facilities.

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