What You Need to Know
Stay informed. Help keep you, your loved ones, and our community safe.
Visit these trusted resources regularly for the most current information.
WA Department of Health (DOH)
We also have a resource center for general Washington State public health updates.
Resources
Find the information you need, from sources you can trust. Links open in a new window/tab and take you to credible sources.
 Vaccines
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 If You’re Sick
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 Safety
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Frequently Asked Questions
Click below for answers to common questions related to COVID-19.
Vaccines
Are the vaccines safe? Are they effective?
- There is no question that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Millions of people in the U.S. have received shots.
- The technology used to develop the first two COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S., from Moderna and Pfizer, is not new. It has been studied and used for decades in other medical research.
- All three vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Vaccines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently include: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines which are mRNA vaccines.
The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is also authorized, and is a protein subunit vaccine.
Learn more about the available vaccines. Experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), have expressed a clinical preference for individuals to receive a yearly COVID-19 vaccine.
How much will it cost? What if I don't have insurance?
- You should not be charged any out-of-pocket costs. You should not get a bill from your provider, from the place where you got your shot, or from your insurer.
- If a provider charges “administration fee” for giving you the vaccine, this fee will be charged to your health insurance plan, e.g., CHPW, or to the federal program which will pay the provider.
Do I need to share my ID or immigration status?
No. A provider may ask for immigration/citizenship status, Social Security number, and/or government ID, but they are not required to receive the vaccine.
You and your family members can get the care you need without fear. Testing, treatment, and vaccination for coronavirus will not count against you in a test of public charge.
Testing
How can I get a COVID test?
Note: for information about the types of tests available and when to use them, please see Testing for COVID-19 on the CDC website
COVID Test Options
- Schedule an in-person test with your health care provider
- Purchase at-home testing kits from retailers, such as Walgreens or Walmart
- For additional information on testing sites, call the Department of Health (DOH) information line: 1-800-525-0127. Language assistance is available.
PCR and antigen tests ordered or administered by a health care provider are covered.
Apple Health: Effective for dates of service on and after May 12,2023. CHPW no longer reimburses for COVID-19 PCR tests and antigen tests when prescribed or administered by a pharmacist.
Coverage for CHPW Members
Additionally, the following options are available to current CHPW Apple Health (Medicaid), CHPW Medicare Advantage, and CHPW Individual and Family Plan members.
Get free at-home COVID-19 antigen tests:
In person
In-network pharmacies (Show your member ID at the pharmacy counter to apply your $0 copay)
- Apple Health pharmacies (up to 2 individual tests per month)
- Medicare Advantage pharmacies (up to 8 individual tests per month)
- Cascade Select pharmacies (up to 8 individual tests per month)
Online
- express-scripts.com – log in*, submit your order ($0 copay will be automatically applied), and have your tests delivered by mail
Medicare Advantage and Cascade Select only: You may submit receipts for reimbursement (up to $12 per individual test; based on the in-network plan limits) to:CHPW Claims
PO Box 269002
Plano, Texas 75026‐9002
*Note: if you have not yet signed up for an Express Scripts online account, you will be prompted to do so.
Questions?
Call our Customer Care team at 1-800-440-1561 (TTY: 711
